Enhancement of tumor cell radiosensitivity using single chain intracellular antibodies

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a method of enhancing the chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity of a neoplastic cell expressing an oncoprotein that stimulates proliferation of the cell, comprising introducing into the cell a nucleic acid molecule encoding an antibody homologue, wherein the antibody homologue is expressed intracellularly and binds to the oncoprotein intracellularly in the endoplasmic reticulum of the cell. The present invention is also directed to a method for enhancing the inhibition of proliferation of a neoplastic cell expressing an oncoprotein that stimulates proliferation of the cell, comprising the steps of: introducing into the cell a nucleic acid molecule encoding an antibody homologue, wherein the antibody homologue is expressed intracellularly and binds to the protein intracellularly; and contacting said cell with an anti-neoplastic agent.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to provisional application U.S.Ser. No. 60,029,673, filed Oct. 30, 1996, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the fields of immunology andprotein chemistry. More specifically, the present invention relates to aenhancement of tumor cell chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity usingsingle chain intracellular antibodies.

2. Description of the Related Art

Ovarian carcinoma is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancerin the United States. Approximately 26,600 new cases were estimated tooccur in 1995, resulting in 14,500 deaths from this disease. This figureexceeds the number of deaths from all other gynecologic malignanciescombined. Over 70% of the patients present with late stage disease, themajority of which cannot be completely resected at the time of initialsurgery. Chemotherapy has become the primary adjunct to surgery inobtaining a clinical remission or enhanced disease free survival inovarian cancer patients. Although response to initial chemotherapy inovarian cancer patients approaches 70%, most are transient andapproximately 80% of patients (particularly those with advanced stagedisease) will recur and eventually die of disease. Although a variety ofsalvage agents and strategies have been investigated, few havedemonstrated long term effectiveness. In this regard, the five-yearsurvival of patients with stage III disease remains, 15% to 30%.

Various approaches have been developed to accomplish gene therapy forcancer. There is increasing recognition that cancer results from aseries of accumulated, acquired genetic lesions. To an ever largerextent, the genetic lesions associated with malignant transformation andprogression are being identified. The recognition and definition of, themolecular basis of carcinogenesis makes it rational to consider geneticapproaches to therapy. In this regard, a number of strategies have beendeveloped to accomplish cancer gene therapy. These approachesinclude: 1) mutation compensation; 2) molecular chemotherapy; and 3)genetic immunopotentiation. For mutation compensation, gene therapytechniques are designed to rectify the molecular lesions in the cellhaving undergone malignant transformation. For molecular chemotherapy,methods have been developed to achieve selective delivery or expressionof a toxin gene in cancer cells to achieve their eradication. Geneticimmunopotentiation strategies attempt to achieve active immunizationagainst tumor-associated antigens by gene transfer methodologies.Whereas the biology of each malignant disease target will likely dictatethe approach taken, the majority of clinical gene therapy trials involvethe genetic immunopotentiation approach. For most tumor types, however,the absence of clinical evidence of an anti-tumor effect has suggestedthe need for alternative approaches.

In addition to the gene therapy strategies discussed above, severalreports have suggested that gene transfer approaches may be adjunctiveto conventional chemotherapeutic modalities. In this regard, methods toenhance tumor cell conversion of cytotoxic prodrugs to their activeforms have been developed. These include methods to enhance tumor cellmetabolism of standard anti-tumor agents, such as oxazaphosphorines, bytumor cell transduction with cytochrome P-450. In another approach,transfer of viral or prokaryotic genes, such as the herpes simplex virusthymidine kinase (HSVTK), and E. coli cytosine deaminase are employed tosensitize tumor cells to the prodrugs ganciclovir or 5-fluorucytosine(5-FC), respectively, by conversion to toxic metabolites. In addition tothese strategies, methods have been proposed based upon specificallyreverting the molecular basis of the drug-resistant phenotype. Thisapproach is based upon the concept that tumor cell drug resistance maybe the result of diverse genetic alterations. These include mutationalchanges that lead to modifications in the structure of level oftopoisomerase, to increased detoxification reactions, or to interferencewith the delivery of cytotoxic drug to intracellular targets. Inaddition, alterations affecting the regulation of the cell cycle andapoptosis are highly associated with drug resistance. These includeinactivation of tumor suppressor genes, in particular p53 and Rb, andoverexpression of proto-oncogenes such as those belonging to the mycfamily. Thus, based upon an understanding of the molecular basis of drugresistance, gene therapy strategies have been proposed to correct thegenetic lesions etiologic of the drug resistant phenotype. To this end,augmentation of deficient tumor suppressor gene functions can restoretumor cell chemosensitivity. Roth et al. have shown that p53 genereplacement can enhance lung cancer chemosensitivity to cisplatin(CDDP). These studies establish the concept that gene transfer methodsmay be used in conjunction with conventional chemotherapeutic agents toachieve a synergistic antitumor effect. It is further suggested thatspecific rectification of the tumor cells genetic lesions can restorechemosensitivity.

Gene transfer approaches may be adjunctive to conventional radiationtherapy. In this regard, methods to enhance tumor cell conversion ofnon-cytotoxic prodrugs to their active forms have been developed. Theactive forms of these drugs are potential or known radiosensitizers. Oneapproach, transfer of viral or prokaryotic genes, such as herpes simplexthymidine kinase (HSVTK), and E. coli cytosine deaminase are employed tosensitize tumor cells to the prodrugs ganciclovir or 5-fluorocytosine(5-FC), respectively, by conversion to toxic metabolites. Both of thesesystems have also been employed to demonstrate enhanced radiationsensitivity. An alternative employed to enhance radiosensitivity intumors involves the use of radiation inducible promoters to control geneexpression. The tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) gene under the control ofthe early growth response-1 (egr-1) promoter, was used to showradiosensitization in vitro and in vivo. In addition, to thesestrategies, methods have been proposed based upon specifically revertingthe molecular basis of the radiation resistant phenotype. Alterationsaffecting the regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis are highlyassociated with radiation resistance or sensitization. These alterationsinclude inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, in particular p53 andRb, and overexpression of proto-oncogenes such as those belonging to theras and myc families, although this is not universal. Inactivating DNADSB repair genes could be an effective method to dramatically increasethe radiosensitivity of human tumor cell lines. Thus, based upon anunderstanding of the molecular basis of radiationsensitivity/resistance, gene therapy strategies may provide novelmechanisms to enhance radiation efficacy.

The erbB-2 oncogene is important to the malignant transformation ofselected neoplasms including ovarian carcinomas. ErbB-2 is a 185 kDatransmembrane protein kinase receptor with homology to the family ofepithelial growth factor receptors. Aberrant expression of the erbB-2gene may play a role in neoplastic transformation and progression.Specifically, ectopic expression of erbB-2 is capable of transformingrodent fibroblasts in vitro. In addition, transgenic mice carryingeither normal or mutant erbB-2 develop a variety of tumors, includingneoplasms of mammary origin. Importantly, it has been shown thatamplification and/or overexpression of the erbB-2 gene occurs in avariety of human epithelial carcinomas, including malignancies of theovary, breast, gastrointestinal tract, salivary gland, and lung. In thecontext of ovarian carcinoma, a direct correlation has been notedbetween overexpression of erbB-2 and aggressive tumor growth withreduced overall patient survival. As erbB-2 overexpression may be a keyevent in malignant transformation and progression, strategies to ablateits expression would be therapeutic.

Overexpression of erbB-2 is associated with tumor cell chemoresistance.In addition to its direct role in neoplastic conversion, erbB-2overexpression is associated with tumor cell resistance tochemotherapeutic agents. In this regard, heterologous overexpression ofhuman erbB-2 accomplished by genetic transduction has been shown toincrease the chemoresistance of murine fibroblasts and human lungcarcinoma cells to a variety of chemotherapeutic agents. These findingsare corroborated by the clinical observation that erbB-2 overexpressingtumors possess a higher intrinsic chemoresistance and thus areassociated with a shorter relapse-free interval. Another line ofevidence supporting the role of erbB-2 in modulating tumor cellchemoresistance is the observed therapeutic synergy between cisplatinand anti-erbB-2 monoclonal antibodies. These studies have documentedthat anti-erbB-2 antibodies capable of down-regulating the erbB-2oncoprotein achieve enhanced tumor cell sensitivity to thischemotherapeutic agent. Thus, the erbB-2 oncoprotein plays a key role indetermining tumor cell chemoresistance.

Therapeutic strategies for cancer have been developed which target theerbB-2 gene product. The association of overexpression of the erbB-2gene product with neoplastic transformation and chemoresistance has ledto the development of therapeutic strategies to down modulate erbB-2levels in target tumor cells. Specifically, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)have been developed which exhibit high affinity binding to theextracellular domains of the erbB-2 protein. A number of studies havedemonstrated that a subset of these mAbs can elicit growth inhibition oferbB-2-overexpressing tumor cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Inaddition, a subset of these antibodies, which accomplish erbB-2down-regulation enhance tumor cell chemosensitivity.

Gene therapy methods have been proposed to target erbB-2 overexpressingtumor cells to achieve down modulation of the oncoprotein. Theseapproaches have included antisense strategies targeted to thetranscriptional and post-transcriptional levels of gene expression. Inthe former instance, triplex-forming oligonucleotides binding the erbB-2promoter region inhibit transcription of the erbB-2 gene. In addition,antisense oligonucleotides targeted to the erbB-2 transcript haveaccomplished phenotypic alterations in erbB-2 overexpressing tumor cellsincluding down-regulation of cell surface expression and inhibition ofproliferation.

Alternative methods to achieve targeted knockout of erbB-2 have beendeveloped. In this regard, techniques have been developed to allow thederivation of recombinant molecules which possess antigen bindingspecificities expropriated from immunoglobulins. In this regard,single-chain immunoglobulin (sFv) molecules retain the antigen-bindingspecificity of the immunoglobulin from which they are derived, however,they lack other functional domains characterizing the parent molecule.

The Bcl-2-related protein family is an important regulator of programmedcell death or apoptosis. Members of this family with death antagonistproperties include Bcl-2, Bcl-X, Bcl-w, Bfl-1, Brag-1, Mcl-1 and A1.Most of these proteins have to localize to the mitochondria to regulateapoptosis. Importantly, overexpression of death antagonist genes fromthe Bcl-2 family have been shown to protect a variety of cell lines fromapoptosis induced by anti-cancer drugs. The Bcl-2 gene encodes a 26 kDprotein that regulates apoptosis, at least in part, via its interactionwith other members of the Bcl-2 family. Bcl-2 is mainly localized as anintegral mitochondrial membrane protein, although Bcl-2 is also found tobe associated with other membranes, including those of the endoplasmicreticulum (ER) and the nucleus. Extensive experimental evidence suggeststhat Bcl-2 promotes cell survival by preventing the onset of apoptosisinduced by a wide variety of stimuli, including essentially all classesof anticancer drugs and x-irradiation. A role for Bcl-2 in cancer wasinitially identified in follicular lymphoma bearing the chromosomaltranslocation t(14;18) that juxtaposes the Bcl-2 gene with theimmunoglobulin heavy chain locus, thereby up-regulating its expression.

Though first described in lymphoma, overexpression of Bcl-2 is alsofound in a number of non-hemopoietic cancers, including prostate cancer,breast cancer, and glioblastoma. In these cells, Bcl-2 may play animportant role in protecting cancer cells from death induced byanti-cancer drugs. Estrogen-induced increases in Bcl-2 in the context ofan estrogen-responsive human breast cancer cell line significantlyenhanced their resistance to apoptosis, whereas antisense mediatedreduction in Bcl-2 increased their sensitivity to anticancer drugs.Taxol-mediated inactivation of Bcl-2 by phosphorylation in prostatecancer cell lines renders them susceptible to apoptosis. Furthermore,Bcl-2 expression in ovarian cancer cells affects the cellular responseto apoptosis and modulates their resistance to anti-cancer drugs. Inaddition to solid tumors, many non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) and someacute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) often overexpress Bcl-2. Clinical studiesof these hematological malignancies suggest an association between Bcl-2expression, resistance to apoptosis, poor response to chemotherapy andshorter patient survival. Taken together, these results suggest acentral role for Bcl-2 in the promotion of cell survival in solid andhematopoietic tumors.

Based upon these concepts, molecular therapeutic strategies to modulateBcl-2 expression have been proposed. In this regard, antisense (AS)oligonucleotides targeted against Bcl-2 mRNA sequences and plasmidderived Bcl-2 AS transcripts have been shown to alter the growth andsurvival of lymphoid cells overexpressing Bcl-2 in vitro . In thiscontext, several independent Bcl-2 AS studies have demonstrated asignificant increase in apoptosis in treated cells, as well as moreeffective tumor cell killing following exposure to chemotherapeuticdrugs. In vivo models have extended these findings, demonstrating thatpre-treatment of lymphoma cells bearing the t(14;18) translocation withAS oligonucleotides to Bcl-2 mRNA inhibited the formation of tumors in aSCID mouse model. More recently, a clinical trial using Bcl-2 AS therapyin patients with NHL provided the first evidence of down-regulation ofthe Bcl-2 protein in humans.

BAG-1, a newly described Bcl-2 binding protein, functions in concertwith Bcl-2 to prolong cell survival. In a human lymphoid cell line, genetransfer experiments have shown that coexpression of BAG-1 and Bcl-2markedly enhanced protection from apoptosis induced by a variety ofstimuli compared to cells transduced with either BAG-1 or Bcl-2 alone.In addition, overexpression of BAG-1 in liver progenitor cells increasedhepatocyte growth factor (HGF)- and platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF)-induced protection from apoptosis. Thus, BAG-1 acts as a celldeath inhibitor. Although the predicted amino-acid sequence of BAG-1shares no homology with other proteins of the Bcl-2 family, itspecifically interacts with Bcl-2 and can activate Raf-1 kinase. Ofnote, BAG-1 lacks the Bcl-2 family transmembrane domain and therebylocalizes to the cytoplasm where it can interact with the cytoplasmicdomain of the HGF and PDGF receptors. Despite these findings, theprecise role of BAG-1 remains unclear, but the fact that it is expressedubiquitously, and that it acts in conjunction with different growthfactor receptors in preventing apoptosis, suggest that BAG-1 canfunction as a common adaptor protein between tyrosine kinase receptorsand the anti-apoptotic machinery of the cell.

The prior art is deficient in the lack of effective means of enhancingtumor cell chemosensitivity to cancer drugs and enhancing sensitivity toradiation. The present invention fulfills this longstanding need anddesire in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a methodof enhancing the chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity of a neoplasticcell, comprising the step of: introducing into the cell an antibodyhomologue, wherein the antibody homologue is expressed intracellularlyand binds to a target protein intracellularly.

In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided amethod of enhancing the radiosensitivity of a neoplastic cell,comprising introducing into the cell a nucleic acid molecule encoding anantibody homologue, wherein the antibody homologue is expressedintracellularly and binds to the oncoprotein intracellularly in theendoplasmic reticulum of the cell.

In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided amethod for enhancing the inhibition of proliferation of a neoplasticcell expressing an oncoprotein that stimulates proliferation of thecell, comprising the steps of: introducing into the cell a nucleic acidmolecule encoding an antibody homologue, wherein the antibody homologueis expressed intracellularly and binds to the protein intracellularly;and contacting said cell with an anti-neoplastic agent.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided amethod of enhancing the chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity of aneoplastic cell, comprising the step of: introducing into the cell anantibody homologue, wherein the antibody homologue is expressedintracellularly and binds to a target protein intracellularly; andcontacting said cell with an anti-neoplastic agent, radiation or acombination thereof.

Other and further aspects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent from the following description of thepresently preferred embodiments of the invention given for the purposeof disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the matter in which the above-recited features, advantages andobjects of the invention, as well as others which will become clear, areattained and can be understood in detail, more particular descriptionsof the invention briefly summarized above may be had by reference tocertain embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appendeddrawings. These drawings form a part of the specification. It is to benoted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate preferredembodiments of the invention and therefore are not to be consideredlimiting in their scope.

FIG. 1 shows the effect of intracellular anti-erbB-2 sFv on cell surfaceexpression of erbB-2 protein. The human ovarian carcinoma cell lineSKOV3 was transfected by the AdpL method with the described plasmidconstructs and analyzed for cell surface erbB-2 at 96 hourspost-transfection using an anti-human erbB-2 polyclonal antibody.Original magnification 400×. FIG. 1A: shows the transfection withcontrol plasmid pcDNA3. FIG. 1B: shows the transfection with non-ER formof anti-erbB-2 sFv plasmid, pGT20. FIG. 1C: shows the transfection withER form of anti-erbB-2 sFv plasmid, pGT21.

FIG. 2 shows the effect of expression of intracellular anti-erbB-2 sFvgenes on tumor cell viability in the erbB-2 overexpressing human ovariancarcinoma cell line SKOV3 (FIG. 2A) and the non-erbB-2 expressingcervical carcinoma cell line HeLa (FIG. 2B). Tumor cell targets weretransfected with the plasmids pcDNA3, pGT20 and pGT21. At indicatedtimes post-transfection, cell viability was determined employing the XTTassay. Assays were performed ×12 at each time point.

FIG. 3 shows the determination of apoptotic DNA fragmentation induced byER anti-erbB-2 sFv. Tumor cells were transfected with the plasmidspcDNA3, pGT20 and pGT21. At indicated time points post-transfection,cells were harvested and chromosomal DNA analyzed by gelelectrophoresis. FIG. 3A: shows transfection of the non-erbB-2expressing human cervical cell line HeLa. FIG. 3B: shows transfection ofthe erbB-2 overexpressing human ovarian carcinoma cell line SKOV3.

FIG. 4 shows the effect of coexpression of erbB-2 and the anti-erbB-2sFv on HeLa cell viability. The non-erbB-2 expressing human tumor cellline HeLa was transfected with plasmids encoding the ER form of theanti-erbB-2 sFv (pGT21) and/or the human erbB-2 expression vectorLTR-2/erbB-2. At 96 hours post-transfection the viability of the cellswas determined employing the XTT assay. The mean of 8 assays is shown.

FIG. 5 shows the effect of expression of the anti-erbB-2 sFv gene onhuman ovarian tumor cell viability. ErbB-2 expressing human primaryovarian carcinoma cells isolated from malignant ascites were transfectedwith pcDNA3, pGT20 or pGT21. ErbB-2 overexpressing ovarian carcinomacells (SKOV3) were used as additional controls. Cells were assayed forviability by the XTT assay at 96 hours post-transfection. Thisexperiment was replicated 10×. Data represents mean±SEM.

FIGS. 6A-6D show the the efficacy of various vectors in accomplishing invivo gene delivery. Intraperitoneally transplanted SKOV3.ip1 cells werechallenged with different vector systems delivering the lacZ reportergene. Peritoneal lavage contents were subjected to FACS analysis forlacZ expression in erbB-2 overexpressing tumor cells.

FIG. 7 shows the effect of expression of a recombinant adenovirusencoding anti-erbB-2 sFv gene on viability of erbB-2 overexpressinghuman ovarian tumor cells. SKOV3.ip1 cells were infected withrecombinant adenovirus encoding the cytosolic or ER directed anti-erbB-2sFvs. The XTT assay was employed to determine cell viability 96 hourspost infection. This experiment was replicated 10×. Data representsmean±SEM.

FIG. 8 shows the in vivo efficacy of the recombinant adenovirus encodingthe ER form of the anti-erbB-2 sFv in prolongation of survival.ErbB-2-overexpressing human ovarian carcinoma cells SKOV3.ip1 wereinjected intraperitoneally into CB-17 SCID mice (n=10). 5 d later theanimals were challenged with AdCMVLacZ or Ad21. Animals were monitoredfor survival.

FIG. 9 shows the cytotoxic effect of an anti-erbB-2 sFv in combinationwith CDDP. The erbB-2 overexpressing ovarian carcinoma cell line SKOV3was transfected with a plasmid construct encoding an ER form of ananti-erbB-2 sFv (pGT21) or a control plasmid construct (pcDNA3) andtreated with CDDP (2 μg/ml). The cells were incubated for 72 hours andthe number of viable cells determined by an MTS assay. Experiments wereperformed in triplicate and the results represent the mean±SEM.

FIG. 10 shows the characterization of anti-erbB-2 sFv expressingSKOV3.ip1 clones. FIG. 10A: shows the determination of cell surfaceerbB-2 protein expression in stable clones as determined by an ELISAassay. Relative erbB-2 levels were calculated from a standard curve.SKOV3.ip1 cells are a positive control while HeLa, an erbB-2 negativehuman cervical cell line, served as a negative control. Results areexpressed a mean±SEM. FIG. 10B: shows the determination of the presenceof anti-erbB-2 sFv in stable clones by Western blot. Cell weresolubilized and the samples electrophoresed with probe analysis using apolyclonal rabbit anti-erbB-2 sFv antibody.

FIG. 11 shows the sensitivity of anti-erbB-2 sFv expressing SKOV3 clonesto CDDP. SKOV3/pGT21 clones expressing the ER form of the anti-erbB-2sFv demonstrate enhanced chemosensitivity to CDDP. SKOV3/pGT21 cloneswere treated with CDDP (2 μg/ml) and incubated for 72 hours. Cellviability was then measured using an MTS assay. SKOV3 cells andSKOV3/pGT20 clones served as controls. Experiments were performed intriplicate and the results are reported as mean±SEM.

FIG. 12 shows the effect of single fraction cobalt-60 external beamirradiation on the growth of established subcutaneous human ovariancancer xenografts of either untransfected SKOV3 or SKOV3/pGT21 cellsexpressing the ER form of the anti-erbB-2 sFv.

FIG. 13 shows a different experiment depicting the effect of singlefraction cobalt-60 external beam irradiation on the growth ofestablished subcutaneous human ovarian cancer xenografts of eitheruntransfected SKOV3 or SKOV3/pGT21 cells expressing the ER form of theanti-erbB-2 sFv.

FIG. 14 shows (FIG. 14A) the schema of the pCANTAB5 vector showingcontrol regions. The sFv cDNA (750 bp) is introduced between the SfiIand NotI sites. The g3p leader sequence directs transport of the proteinto the inner membrane/periplasm of E. coli whereas the functional domainof g3p (fd3) attaches the fusion protein to the tip of the assemblingphage. The sFv is expressed as a fusion protein with the E-tag peptideto allow easy detection. FIG. 14B shows the schema of the pSTCF.KDELeukaryotic vector expressing sFv genes. Expression of the sFv protein isdriven by the CMV promoter. The sFv cDNA is introduced between SfiI andNotI. The IgK leader sequence directs the sFv protein to the ER, and theKDEL signal at the c-terminus leads to retention in this cellularcompartment. The sFv open reading frame is also fused with a c-mycepitope to allow easy detection by Western blot.

FIG. 15A shows the screening of positive clones for sFv inserts obtainedafter the colony lift selection. The plasmid DNA was extracted frompositive clones and used in a PCR reaction. The PCR primers werecomplimentary to the Sfi I and Not I sites. The resulting sFv DNAproducts migrate as a 750 bp fragment on an agarose gel (1%); and FIG.15B the expression of the anti-Bcl-2 sFv in the E. coli strain HB2151.IPTG-induced periplasmic extracts were run on SDS-PAGE gel (12%). Aftertransfer, the membrane was probed with an horseradish peroxidase labeledanti-E-tag antibody. The anti-Bcl-2 sFv protein has an apparentmolecular weight of approximately 34 kDa.

FIG. 16 shows the binding affinity of the anti-Bcl-2 sFvs to the Bcl-2protein as measured by ELISA. Various concentrations of periplasmicextracts anti-Bcl-2 sFv 1 and 4 were added onto a 96-well plate coatedwith recombinant Bcl-2 protein. A periplasmic extract containing no sFvprotein was used as a negative control. After addition of anHRP-conjugated mouse anti-E-tag antibody and the peroxidase substrate,the plate was read at 405 nm. Samples were done in duplicate and O.D.values are expressed as a mean.

FIG. 17A shows the expression of the anti-Bcl-2 sFvs 1 and 4 in HeLacells as determined by Western blot. Cells were transduced with eitherthe anti-Bcl-2 sFvs 1 and 4 alone (sFv 1, sFv 4) or cotransfected withthe sFv constructs and the pRC/CMV/hBcl-2 plasmid (sFv 1+Bcl-2, sFv4+Bcl-2). In eukaryotic cells, the sFv protein migrates around 34 kDa;and FIG. 17B shows the modulation of Bcl-2 expression in HeLa cells asdetermined by Western blot. Mock indicates that cells were treated withAdpL only; sFv 1, sFv 1 vector only; sFvl+Bcl-2, sFv 1 vector andpRC/CMV/hBcl-2; sFv 4, sFv 4 vector only; sFv 4+Bcl-2, sFv 4 vector andpRC/CMV/hBcl-2. Equal amounts (30 μg) of total protein were loaded ineach lane.

FIG. 18 shows the western blot analysis of different ratios of Bcl-2versus anti-Bcl-2 sFv in HeLa cells. The ratios used in each experimentsis indicated on the left. Equal amounts (30 μg) of total protein wereloaded in each lane and separated by SDS-PAGE. The position of the Bcl-2protein is indicated.

FIG. 19A shows a western blot analysis showing down-regulation of Bcl-2expression in DU145 and MCF-7 cells. DU145 were transfected with eitherpRC/CMV/hBcl-2 alone (Bcl-2) or pRC/CMV/hBcl-2 plus sFv 4 vector (sFv4+Bcl-2) at a DNA ratio of 1:10. MCF-7 cells were treated with AdpLalone (mock) or the sFv 4 vector (sFv 4). Equal amounts (25 μg) of totalprotein were loaded in each lane and separated by SDS-PAGE; and FIG. 19Bshows the expression of the sFv 4 protein in DU145 and MCF-7 asdetermined by Western blot. Equal amounts (25 μg) of protein wereseparated by SDS-PAGE.

FIG. 20 shows that expression of the anti-Bcl-2 sFv 4 does not affectthe growth rate of cells overexpressing or not Bcl-2. DU145 (FIG. 20A)and MCF-7 (FIG. 20B) were mock-transfected (square), transfected withthe pSTCF.KDEL (diamond) or the anti-Bcl-2 sFv (circle) and followedover time. The growth rate was determined by MTT assay.

FIG. 21 shows that expression of the anti-Bcl-2 sFv 4 increases celldeath in tumor cells overexpressing Bcl-2 in the presence of drugs.(FIG. 21A) DU145 cells were mock-transduced (square), transduced withpRC/CMV/hBcl-2 (diamond), or transfected with pRC/CMV/hBcl-2 plus theanti-Bcl-2 sFv 4 (circle) at a DNA ratio of 1:10 and treated withvarious concentrations of CDDP. (FIG. 21B) MCF-7 cells weremock-transfected (square), transfected with pSTCF.KDEL (circle) ortransfected with the anti-Bcl-2 sFv 4 (diamond) and treated with variousconcentration of staurosporine. Cell survival was determined by MTTassay at 4 days.

FIG. 22 shows the expression of BAG-1 and Bcl-2 in DU145 and MCF-7 celllines. Equal amount of protein cell lysates (30 μg) were subjected toSDS-PAGE/immunoblot analysis. (FIG. 22A) Lysates from DU145 cells probedwith an anti-BAG-1 antibody. BAG-1 protein migrates as a ˜29 kDaprotein. The anti-BAG-1 antibody also detects a non-specific cellularband at ˜47 kDa. (FIG. 22B) Lysates from MCF-7 cells probed with theanti-BAG-1 antibody. (FIG. 22C) Cell extracts from DU145 probed with ananti-BCl-2 antibody. (FIG. 22D) MCF-7 cell lysates probed with ananti-Bcl-2 antibody. The positions of BAG-1 and Bcl-2 protein areindicated by an arrow.

FIG. 23 shows the increased resistance to cell death by genetransfer-mediated expression of BAG-1 in MCF-7 compared to DU145 cells.Transfected cells were cultured in complete medium containingstaurosporine at 0, 10, 20, 100 and 150 ng/ml. The percentage of viablecells was then determined at 4 days by MTS assays. The percentage ofsurviving cells was determined by comparing staurosporine untreatedcells with staurosporine treated cells. All data represent mean±standarddeviation (n=4). (FIG. 23A) MCF-7 cells survival. (FIG. 23B) DU145 cellssurvival.

FIG. 24 shows the expression and binding affinity of anti-BAG-1 sFvsproduced by differents E. coli HB2151 clones after induction with IPTG 1mM. (FIG. 24A) Representative Western blot analysis of 9 differentclones (out of 20) selected after colony lift assay screening. Theperiplasmic extracts prepared form IPTG-induced clones were run onSDS-PAGE gel (12%). After transfer, the membrane was probed with anhorseradish peroxidase labeled anti-E-tag antibody. The anti-BAG-1 sFvmigrates as a ˜34-36 kDa protein. (FIG. 24B) Binding affinity of theanti-BAG-1 sFvs to BAG-1 protein as measured by ELISA. Variousconcentrations of periplasmic extracts from anti-BAG-1 sFv clones 11, 15and 20 were added onto a 96 well plate coated with recombinant BAG-1protein. A periplasmic extract containing no sFv protein was used as anegative control. After addtion of an HRP-conjugated mouse anti-E-tagantibody and the peroxidase substrate, the plate was read at 405 nm.Samples were done in duplicate and O.D. values are expressed as a mean.

FIG. 25 shows (FIG. 25A) the modulation of BAG-1 expression in HeLacells as determined by Western blot. Equal amount of protein celllysates (30 μg) were loaded in each lane. Mock indicates that cells weretreated with AdpL only; pCDNA3, the empty vector only; pCDNA3/BAG-1, theBAG-1 eucaryotic vector; anti-BAG-1 sFv, sFv expression vector;anti-BAG-1 sFv +BAG-1, sFv expression vector+BAG-1 eucaryotic vector(pCDNA3/BAG-1). The membrane was probed with an anti-BAG-1 antibody; and(FIG. 25B) the expression of the anti-BAG-1 sFvs in HeLa cells. Equalamount of cell lysates (30 μg) in each lane and protein expression wasanalysed by immunoblot assay using an anti-c-myc monoclonal antibody.

FIG. 26 shows that the anti-BAG-1 sFv down-regulates the expression ofBAG-1 in DU145 and MCF-7 cells. DU145 (FIGS. 26A, 26C) and MCF-7 (FIGS.26B, 26D) were transfected with BAG-1, BAG-1 and pSTCF.KDEL or BAG-1 andthe anti-BAG-1 sFv 20. Thirty μg of total protein lysates were loadedper lane and Western blots were developed with anti-BAG-1 antibody. FIG.26C DU145 cellls were transduced the vector (pSTCF.KDEL), the anti-BAG-1sFv 20 or BAG-1 and anti-BAG-1 sFv 20 and expression of the sFv wasanalysed by Western blot. As above, 30 μg of proteins were loaded andthe membrane was probed with an anti-c-myc antibody.

FIG. 27 shows that the anti-BAG-1 sFv abolishes BAG-1-mediatedresistance to cell killing in MCF-7 but not in DU145. MCF-7 (FIGS.27A-B) or DU145 (FIGS. 27C-D) cells were transfected with BAG-1, BAG-1and anti-BAG-1 sFv 20 (BAG-1+sFv) or BAG-1 and pSTCF.KDEL (BAG-1+pSTCF)and then treated with either staurosporine or CDDP. The percentage ofsurviving cells was determined by MTS assay 4 days later. Samples weredone in quadruplicate. Data are presented as mean±standard deviation.

FIG. 28 shows that BAG-1 expression does not affect the growth rate ofDU145 and MCF-7 under normal growth conditions. FIG. 28A shows theproliferation of MCF-7 cells transfected with the indicated plasmids wasdetermined at various times by MTS assays. Data are presented asmean±standard deviation (n=4). In FIG. 28B, similar experiments done inDU145 cells.

FIG. 29A: Molecular cloning of anti-cyclin-D1 sFv from RNA derived fromthe DCS-6 hybridoma cell line. The V_(L) and V_(H) domains of the RNAwere amplified separately by RT-PCR, ligated together and reamplifiedwith outstream primers. These products were visualized on an agarose gel(1%). FIG. 29B: Expression of anti-cyclin-D1 sFv in E. coli. SDS-PAGE(12%) of IPTG-induced and uninduced periplasmic protein. FIG. 29C:Enzyme-linked ELISA was used to measure the binding activity of theperiplasmic expressed anti-cyclin-D1 sFv clones 3 and 34. Cyclin-D1protein was coated on 96-well plates at the final concentration of 80ng/well. After blocking with 3% milk, the periplasmic preparations wereadded to the plates. HRP-labeled mouse anti-E tag was used. Boundantibodies were detected by the addition of HRP substrate anddetermining the O.D. at 405 nm.

FIG. 30A: intracellular localization of GFP fusion protein in HeLa cells48 hr after transfection with the ER and nuclear localizing vectors.FIG. 30B: Expression of intracellular anti-cyclin-D1 sFv in HeLa cells.FIG. 30C: Expression of cyclin-D1 protein five days post-transfection ofanti-cyclin-D1 sFv. Fifty mg of total cellular protein from each of theindicated cell lines were subjected to 12% SDS-PAGE, transferred tonitrocellulose and immunoblotted.

FIG. 31 shows the cell cycle analysis by FACS following staining withPI. 48 hr after transfection with the anti-cyclin-D1 sFv using AdpLnonsynchronized, log phase cells (10⁴) were harvested and analyzed byFACS for cellular DNA content. Regions were set over the cell cyclephases and the percentage of cells within each region were determinedusing the CellQuest program.

FIG. 32 shows the morphological appearance of MDA-MD-453 cells 5 daysafter transfection. FIG. 32A: Control vector pcDNA3, FIG. 32B:erCD1scFv34.1 and FIG. 32C: nCD1scFv34.1

FIGS. 33A-33C show the percentage of cell viability after anti-cyclin-D1scFv treatment. Plasmid DNAs pcDNA3, erCD1scFv34.1 and nCD1scFv34.1 weretransfected into HBL-100, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-453. At day 5post-transfection, the number of viable cells were counted in theCoulter Counter Model ZF.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a method of enhancing thechemosensitivity and radiosensitivity of a neoplastic cell expressing anoncoprotein that stimulates proliferation of the cell, comprisingintroducing into the cell a nucleic acid molecule encoding an antibodyhomologue, wherein the antibody homologue is expressed intracellularlyand binds to the oncoprotein intracellularly in the endoplasmicreticulum (ER) of the cell. Preferably, the oncoprotein is erbB2although others can be targeted by those having ordinary skill in thisart. Most preferably, the antibody homologue is selected from the groupconsisting of a single chain Fv fragment and a Fab fragment. The nucleicacid molecule is, for example, a recombinant expression vector selectedfrom the group consisting of a viral vector and a plasmid vector.Generally, the neoplastic cell is from a tissue or organ selected fromthe group consisting of breast, gastrointestinal tract, lung, ovarianand salivary gland.

The present invention is also directed to a method of enhancing thechemosensitivity and radiosensitivity of a neoplastic cell, comprisingthe step of: introducing into the cell an antibody homologue, whereinthe antibody homologue is expressed intracellularly and binds to atarget protein intracellularly. In one embodiment, the antibodyhomologue binds in the endoplasmic reticulum of the cell. Alternatively,the antibody homologue binds to a target protein in the nucleus. In oneembodiment, the neoplastic cell expresses an oncoprotein that stimulatesproliferation of the cell. Most preferably, this method furthercomprises the step of contacting the cell with an anti-neoplastic agent,radiation or a combination thereof. Representative examples of ananti-neoplastic agent is selected from the group consisting ofcisplatin, a halogenated pyrimidine, fluoropyrimidines, taxol, BCNU,5-fluorouracil, bleomycin, mitomycin, hydroxyurea, fludarabine,nucleoside analogues, topoisomerase I inhibitors, hypoxic cellsensitizers and etoposide.

The methods of the present invention can be employed to treat a widevariety of cancers depending upon the target protein selected.Representative examples of neoplastic cell include ovarian cancer,bladder cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, prostatecancer, gliomas, fibrosarcomas, retinoblastomas, melanomas, soft tissuesarcomas, ostersarcomas, leukemias, colon cancer, carcinoma of thekidney, gastrointestinal cancer, salivary gland cancer and pancreaticcancer.

Generally, the target protein bound by the antibody homologue is agrowth factor receptor protein, cell cycle control protein andanti-apoptotic protein. Representative examples of growth factorreceptor proteins are erbB2 and epidermal growth factor receptor.Representative examples of anti-apoptotic proteins are Bcl-2 and BAG-1.Representative examples of cell cycle control proteins are cyclin D1 andcyclin B.

Preferably, the antibody homologue is selected from the group consistingof a single chain Fv fragment and a Fab fragment. In one embodiment, theantibody homologue is introduced to the cell via a nucleic acid moleculeencoding said antibody homologue. The method nucleic acid molecule ispreferably a recombinant expression vector such as a viral vector and aplasmid vector.

The present invention is also directed to a method of enhancing thechemosensitivity and radiosensitivity of a neoplastic cell, comprisingthe step of: introducing into the cell an antibody homologue, whereinthe antibody homologue is expressed intracellularly and binds to atarget protein intracellularly; and contacting said cell with ananti-neoplastic agent, radiation or a combination thereof.

The present invention is also directed to a method of inhibitingproliferation of erbB2-overexpressing tumor cells in a mammal,comprising the steps of: introducing into the cell an antibodyhomologue, wherein the antibody homologue is expressed intracellularlyand binds to erbB2 intracellularly in the endoplasmic reticulum of thetumor cells; and contacting said cell with an anti-neoplastic agent,radiation or a combination thereof.

The following examples are given for the purpose of illustrating variousembodiments of the invention and are not meant to limit the presentinvention in any fashion.

EXAMPLE 1

Anti-erbB-2 single-chain intracellular antibody (sFv) is specificallycytotoxic in erbB-2 overexpressing tumor cells

As a method to effect targeted ablation of the erbB-2 oncoprotein, astrategy was developed involving construction of a gene encoding asingle-chain immunoglobulin (sFv) directed against erbB-2. If ananti-erbB-2 sFv were localized to the endoplasmic reticulum of SKOV3cells (an ovarian carcinoma cell line which overexpresses erbB-2), thenascent erbB-2 protein would be entrapped within the ER of the cells,and unable to achieve its normal cell surface localization. Thisintracellular entrapment would prevent erbB-2, a transmembrane tyrosinekinase receptor, from interacting with its ligand, thus abrogating theautocrine growth factor loop thought to be driving malignanttransformation in erbB-2-overexpressing cell lines. To preventmaturational processing of the nascent erbB-2 protein during synthesis,a gene construct was thus designed which encoded an ER directed form ofthe anti-erbB-2 sFv (pGT21). As a control, a similar anti-erbB-2 sFv wasdesigned which lacked a signal sequence dictating its localization tothe ER (pGT20).

These sFv constructs were cloned into the eucaryotic expression vectorpcDNA3 (Invitrogen), which directs high level gene expression from thecytomegalovirus (CMV) early intermediate promoter/enhancer. For thisanalysis, the plasmid DNAs pcDNA3, pGT20, and pGT21 were transfectedinto the erbB-2 overexpressing ovarian carcinoma cell line SKOV3 usingthe adenovirus-polylysine (AdpL) method. The adenovirus-polylysine-DNAcomplexes containing a β-galactosidase reporter gene (pCMVB) produceddetectable levels of reporter gene expression in >99% of targeted cells.At various times after transfection, the cells were evaluated for cellsurface expression of erbB-2 using an anti-human erbB-2 polyclonalantibody. Cells transfected with the control plasmid DNA, pcDNA3,exhibited high levels of cell surface erbB-2, as would be expected (FIG.1). Additionally, SKOV3 cells transfected with the non-ER (cytosolic)form of the anti-erbB-2 sFv (pGT20) exhibited levels of cell surfaceerbB-2 similar to the control. In marked contrast, SKOV3 cellstransfected with pGT21, which encodes an ER form of the anti-erbB-2 sFv,demonstrated marked down-regulation of cell surface erbB-2 expression.This down-regulation appeared to be time-dependent with cell surfaceerbB-2 levels progressively declining from 48 to 96 hourspost-transfection. At 96 hours post-transfection, fewer than 10% of thepGT21 transfected cells exhibited detectable levels of cell surfaceerbB-2 protein.

To determine whether modulation of cell surface expression of erbB-2levels affected cellular proliferation in the SKOV3 cells, the variousgene constructs were transfected using the AdpL vector as before. Forthis analysis, immunohistochemistry for the proliferation-associatedantigen Ki-67 was employed. Transfection of cells with the controlplasmid pcDNA3 resulted in the immunohistochemical detection of activecellular proliferation as indicated by intense nuclear staining. Inaddition, transfection with the non-ER form of the anti-erbB-2 sFv didnot result in any net change in cell proliferation. In marked contrast,transfection of the erbB-2 overexpressing cell line SKOV3 with the ERform of the anti-erbB2 sFv resulted in a dramatic inhibition of cellularproliferation.

Because the ER anti-erbB-2 sFv exhibited a prominent anti-proliferativeeffect, it was hypothesized that it might also exhibit an anti-tumoreffect in cells stably modified to express this gene construct. As theplasmids pcDNA3, pGT20 and pGT21 contained neomycin selectable markers,they were used to derive stable clones. In an initial experiment, thevarious plasmid constructs were used to derive G418 resistant clones inHeLa cells, a human cervical carcinoma cell line not characterized byoverexpression of erbB-2. After selection, the number of clones derivedfrom transfection with pGT20 and pGT21 was not significantly different(Table 1). Further, the number of clones did not differ aftertransfection with the control plasmid pcDNA3. A similar analysis wasthen carried out with the erbB-2 overexpressing tumor line SKOV3 as thetarget. The number of clones derived with pGT20 did not differ from thenumber derived with the control plasmid pcDNA3 (Table 1).

However, transfection with pGT21 resulted in a dramatic reduction in thenumber of stable clones derived (p<0.001). Thus, it the expression ofthe ER form of the anti-erbB-2 sFv was incompatible with long termviability of transfected SKOV3 cells. Further, this effect was specificfor erbB-2 overexpressing cells as this differential clone survival wasnot noted in the HeLa cells. Thus, non-erbB-2 expressing tumor cellswere not affected by this specific anti-erbB-2 intervention. Althoughthe stable expression of the anti-erbB-2 sFv appeared to inhibit clonaldevelopment selectively in the erbB-2 overexpressing SKOV3 cell line, itdid not completely abrogate clonal outgrowth; stable clones expressingthe selectable marker and erbB-2 sFv were derived. These findingssuggested that a subset of tumor cells could achieve clonal outgrowthdespite the co-existence of over-expressed erbB-2 and the intracellularanti-erbB-2 sFv.

EXAMPLE 2

Oncoprotein ablation mediated by the anti-erbB-2 sFv induces apoptoticcell death in erbB-2 overexpressing human tumor cells

As the expression of the anti-erbB-2 sFv appeared to inhibit thederivation of stable clones from SKOV3, whether the effect of expressionof the single-chain antibody was directly cytocidal was determined.Plasmid DNAs which encoded either the cytosolic form or the ER form ofthe anti-erbB-2 sFv, as well as the control plasmid pcDNA3, weredelivered to SKOV3 cells.

Transfection with pGT21 resulted in a time-dependent decrease in cellviability, with a >95% decrement in the number of viable cells by 72hours post-transfection (FIG. 2). Transfection with the control plasmidspcDNA3 and pGT20, however, did not exert any significant effect on cellviability. As an additional control, the ER form of the anti-erbB-2 sFvagain had no observable effect on the non-erbB-2 expressing humancervical carcinoma line HeLa. Non-erbB-2 expressing human cell linesfrom a variety of different tissues (bladder, liver, mesothelium,kidney) were also transduced and not significant cytotoxicity was noted.A subset of the cells was not eradicated by this intervention. Despitethat >99% of the cells were transfected to transiently express theanti-erbB-2 sFv, in a subset of these transfected cells the anti-erbB-2sFv did not appear to effectively induce cytotoxicity. This agrees withthe derivation of anti-erbB-2 sFv-expressing SKOV3.ip1 stable clonesnoted in Table 1.

The foregoing studies are consistent with the concept that the ER formof the anti-erbB-2 sFv induces specific cytotoxicity in erbB-2overexpressing tumor cells. However, this effect may not simply be basedon erbB-2 down-regulation, as antisense inhibition of erbB-2 geneexpression elicited proliferative arrest of erbB-2 overexpressing cells,but not their death. Studies were carried out to determine if programmedcell death, i.e. apoptosis, was occurring. As before, the plasmid DNAconstructs pcDNA3, pGT20 and pGT21 were delivered to the erbB-2overexpressing SKOV3 cells and the non-erbB-2 expressing tumor cell lineHeLa. At specific time points post-transfection, cells were harvestedand evaluated for evidence of nuclear DNA fragmentation, a hallmark ofprogrammed cell death. In the HeLa cells, transfection with the variousconstructs did not demonstrate any evidence of apoptotic cellular eventsas determined by morphologic appearance or alterations in DNA asmeasured by gel electrophoresis (FIG. 3A). Transfection of the SKOV3cells with the control plasmid pcDNA3 or the cytosolic anti-erbB-2 sFvpGT20 similarly did not elicit any evidence of cellular apoptosis. Whenthe SKOV3 cells were transfected with the ER form of the anti-erbB-2sFv, however, marked changes in chromosomal DNA were noted. Thesechanges were first detected at 48 hours post-transfection and wererevealed on a 2% agarose gel as a characteristic 200 bp apoptotic ladder(FIG. 3B).

As independent confirmation, the presence of apoptotic nuclei wasevaluated employing differential nuclear uptake of DNA-binding dyes.SKOV3 cells transfected with the plasmid DNA pGT21 showed intensenuclear staining characteristic of cellular apoptosis.

These alterations were not seen in cells transfected with the controlplasmids pcDNA3 and pGT20.

Quantitative analysis demonstrated that >90% of the transfected SKOV3cells exhibited apoptotic nuclear changes, whereas cells transfectedwith pcDNA3 and pGT20 did not exhibit levels of apoptosis different fromuntransfected controls. Thus, the basis of the cytocidal effect of theER anti-erbB-2 sFv in the erbB-2 overexpressing cells was the inductionof apoptosis. In the context of dominant oncogene induced tumorigenesis,down-regulation of overexpressed immortalizing growth factor receptorsmay induce cellular apoptosis. Thus, the abrogation of the immortalizingstimulus allows cells to re-engage the overridden apoptotic program.Alternatively, ablation of dominant oncogene function may result inproliferative arrest, without induction of programmed cell death.

ErbB-2 down-regulation mediated by antisense oligonucleotides inducesproliferative arrest, but not apoptosis in erbB-2 overexpressing tumortargets. In contrast, apoptosis was induced by virtue of an alternatemechanism of erbB-2 down-regulation. This suggests that erbB-2down-regulation, per se, was not inductive of apoptosis. To determinethe basis whereby the anti-erbB-2 sFv induced apoptosis, this phenomenonin a different system was reproduced. Ectopic localization of erbB-2, innon-erbB-2 transformed tumor cells, was accomplished by cotransfectionof HeLa cells with wild-type human erbB-2 cDNA and the cDNA for the ERform of the anti-erbB-2 sFv. Transfection of the non-erbB-2 expressingHeLa cell line with the erbB-2 cDNA did not result in any change in cellviability, identical to that observed employing the control plasmid DNApcDNA3. In contrast, cotransfection of the erbB-2 cDNA with theanti-erbB-2 sFv construct caused a marked cytocidal effect (FIG. 4).This cytotoxicity was also shown to be the result of induction ofapoptosis as was observed in SKOV3 cells transfected with theanti-erbB-2 sFv. Thus, where erbB-2 does not contribute to thetransformed phenotype, coexpression of the anti-erbB-2 sFv andheterologous erbB-2 still induced apoptosis.

The effects of the anti-erbB-2 sFv in human tumor material isolated froma patient with primary ovarian carcinoma was shown. Methods weredeveloped to isolate primary ovarian tumor cells which maintain theirviability and proliferative capacity in vitro for approximately 7-10days. In addition, the amount of cell surface erbB-2 in these tumorexplants was estimated employing an immunohistochemistry assay. Toestablish the biologic effects of intracellular single-chain antibodyknockout of erbB-2 in primary ovarian carcinoma cells, the variousanti-erbB-2 sFv constructs were delivered to cells employing the AdpLvector followed by the XTT assay for determination of cell viability.Control experiments employing a LacZ reporter gene demonstratedthat >99% of the isolated human primary ovarian carcinoma cells could betransduced. The human ovarian carcinoma cell line SKOV3 was employed asa control. The ER form of the anti-erbB-2 sFv exhibited a specificcytotoxic effect in the human primary tumor cells at 96 hours posttransfection.

Interestingly, the magnitude of the sFv-mediated cell killing observedin the primary tumor material was as great as that observed in theerbB-2 overexpressing cell line SKOV3. These findings strongly suggestthat ovarian cancer cell lines represent appropriate models of theoperative mechanisms utilized in tumor cells derived from actualpatients. Thus, the sFv-mediated cytotoxicity does not represent only anin vitro phenomenon.

EXAMPLE 3

Oncoprotein ablation mediated by the anti-erbB-2 sFv accomplishes atherapeutic effect in a murine model of human ovarian carcinoma

Whether human ovarian cancer cells could be selectively killed in amurine model of malignant ascites was determined. Athymic nude mice withthe erbB-2 overexpressing human ovarian carcinoma line SKOV3.ip1 wereengrafted. This model allows for the development of malignant ascitesand peritoneal implants of neoplastic cells in a manner which parallelsthe human disease. For gene therapy to be of practical utility in humanovarian carcinoma, vector strategies must be capable of accomplishingdirect, in situ delivery of heterologous genes to tumor in vivo.

A vector system that accomplishes efficient in situ transduction of thetumor cells found in ovarian carcinoma malignant ascites fluid wasdetermined. For this analysis, candidate vector systems capable ofachieving therapeutic levels of in vivo gene transfer were evaluated.Athymic nude mice (Balb/c) were transplanted intraperitoneally with1×10⁷ SKOV3.ip1 cells. After 48 hours, vectors were administeredintraperitoneally to deliver an E. coli β-galactosidase reporter geneconstruct (lacZ) to the mobile neoplastic cells. Evaluated vectorsystems included adenovirus-polylysine-DNA-complexes (AdpL), liposomes(DOTAP), and a recombinant adenovirus encoding lacZ (AdCMVLacZ).Forty-eight hours after vector administration, mobile tumor cells wereharvested by peritoneal lavage and analyzed for expression of the lacZreporter gene. This was accomplished by a fluorescent activated cellsorting (FACS) double-sorting procedure (FIG. 6). The highest level ofgene transfer was accomplished with the recombinant adenovirus, thetransduction frequency achieved with this vector was >80%.

As the recombinant adenovirus proved useful for in situ transduction ofmobile neoplastic cells in vivo, whether the anti-erbB-2 sFv-mediatedselective toxicity in this setting was determined. A recombinantadenovirus was, therefore, constructed encoding the ER form of theanti-erbB-2 sFv (Ad21) using methods of homologous recombination. Theresultant recombinant virus is E1A/B deleted and, thus,replication-incompetent. Studies confirmed the structural integrity ofthe recombinant adenovirus genome. To establish that the anti-erbB-2 sFvgene functioned in this vector configuration, in vitro analysis wascarried out employing the SKOV3.ip1 cells as the target. Cells wereanalyzed for viability employing the XTT assay. The anti-erb-2 sFvencoding adenovirus accomplished the same selective cytotoxicity in theerbB-2 overexpressing targets as observed with AdpL-mediated delivery(FIG. 7). Notably, the adenovirus encoding a control gene (lacZ) had noeffects on cell viability, even when delivered at an identicalmultiplicity of infection. Thus, a replication-defective adenovirusencoding the anti-erbB-2 sFv has been constructed which retains thecapacity to express an ER-anti-erbB-2 sFv. This vector can achieveselective cytotoxicity based on the encoded sFv in human ovariancarcinoma cell lines.

To demonstrate the feasibility of employing the adenoviral vector for insitu tumor cell killing via anti-erbB-2 sFv gene delivery, treatmentexperiments employing an orthotopic murine model were performed. Asbefore, SKOV3.ip1 cells were xenotransplanted into athymic nude mice.Forty-eight hours after engraftment with SKOV3.ip1 cells, the SCID micewere challenged intraperitoneally with the E1A/B-deleted recombinantadenovirus encoding the anti-erbB-2 sFv (Ad2l) or an E1A/B-deletedrecombinant adenovirus encoding the reporter gene lacZ (AdCMVLacZ).Ninety-six hours after treatment, the animals underwent peritoneallavage for analysis of harvested mobile tumor cells. Cells were analyzedfor cell viability employing the XTT assay. The number of viable cellswas dramatically decreased in the Ad21 group compared to the AdCMVLacZgroup. This cytotoxicity appeared to be specifically associated with theanti-erbB-2 sFv encoding adenovirus. Analysis of the mechanism of celldeath demonstrated that the Ad21 virus induced cellular apoptosis. Thus,the recombinant adenovirus encoding the anti-erbB-2 sFv was specificallycytotoxic in mobile neoplastic cells in an orthotopic murine model ofhuman ovarian cancer.

The efficacy of the anti-erbB-2 sFv approach was established employing amurine model of human ovarian carcinoma. For this analysis, SCID micewere xenografted i.p. with 2×10⁷ SKOV3.ip1 cells. After 5 days, animalswere challenged by the same route with either the control adenovirus,AdCMVLacZ, or the anti-erbB-2 encoding adenovirus, Ad2l, and animalsmonitored for survival. The anti-erbB-2 sFv encoding adenovirus, Ad21,accomplished a statistically significant survival prolongation (FIG. 8).Thus, direct in situ tumor transduction to accomplish selective tumorcell cytotoxicity via the anti-erbB-2 sFv has therapeutic utility.

The basis whereby complete disease eradication was not achieved wasconsidered. A possible mechanism is the outgrowth of "resistant" tumorcells which no longer manifest sensitivity to anti-erbB-2 sFv-mediatedcytotoxicity. Tumor cells were harvested by lavage from Ad21-treatedanimals at late treatment times. These cells exhibited the samemagnitude of sensitivity to sFv-induced cytotoxicity as virgin cell linecounterparts. Therefore, resistance to erbB-2 sFv-mediated cytotoxicity,per se, is not an operational factor in this context. Two additionalconsiderations appear relevant. Firstly, the net gene transfer efficacymay be limiting effective cell kill. Thus, strategies to augment theefficiency of in situ gene transfer to tumor cells appears warranted.Additionally, all genetically modified tumor cells may not beeffectively eradicated. Data suggestive of this phenomenon was noted inthe context of the sFv-expressing stable clone derived in Table 1 and inthe experiment in which transient expression of the induced cytotoxicity(FIG. 2). In these studies, a subset of tumor cells survived despiteexpression of the anti-erbB-2 sFv gene. Maneuvers to increase genetransfer efficiency, per se, would not be predicted to be completelyefficacious. Thus, strategies are required to address the tumor cellsubset which can survive, despite expression of the anti-erbB-2 sFv.

EXAMPLE 4

Efficacy of cell killing mediated by anti-erbB-2 sFv enhancedchemosensitivity in erbB-2 overexpressing human tumor cells

The expression of the erbB-2 oncoprotein is a parameter which may affecttumor cell chemosensitivity. An inverse relationship between erbB-2levels and chemosensitivity was noted in the studies of Gazdar et al. Astrategy to down-regulate the erbB-2 oncoprotein enhances tumor cellchemosensitivity. As the anti-erbB-2 sFv was capable of inducingapoptotic cell death in a tumor cell subset, in those tumor cells inwhich sFv expression was achieved but cytotoxicity not induced,sensitivity to a second apoptotic stimulus might occur. That theanti-erbB-2 sFv directly affects tumor cell sensitivity tochemotherapeutic agents was demonstrated.

EXAMPLE 5

Plasmid Construction

Plasmids encoding a cytosolic form of the anti-erbB-2 sFv (pGT20) aswell as an endoplasmic reticulum directed form of the anti-erbB-2 sFv(pGT21) have been described. The plasmid pcDNA3 (Invitrogen, San Diego,Calif.) served as a control. The phagemid pCANTAB5/sFv contains theanti-Bcl-2 sFv DNA under the control of the inducible lac promoter. Thisvector also encodes a peptide tag (E-tag) located at the 3' end of thesFv to allow easy immunological detection of sFv protein expression. TheBcl-2 expression plasmid pRc-CMV/hBcl-2 contains wild type human Bcl-2under the control of the CMV promoter. The pGEX-hBcl-2 encodes the humanBcl-2. The ER-targeted vector is a derivative of the pSecTag C vector(Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.). A DNA sequence encoding the c-mycpeptide tag and KDEL signal was inserted between NotI and ApaI sites ofpSecTag C to generate pSTCF.KDEL. The anti-Bcl-2 sFv fragments generatedby SfiI/NotI digest of pCANTAB5/sFv were ligated into the SfiI/NotIsites in pSTCF.KDEL just upstream from and in-frame with the addedc-myc/KDEL sequence.

The prokaryotic BAG-1 expression vector, pGEX 3X-hBAG-1, was obtainedfrom JC Reed (Burnham Institute, La Jolla, Calif.). To construct a BAG-1eukaryotic vector, pGEX 3X-hBAG-1 was digested with BamHI and EcoRI torelease BAG-1 open reading frame (ORF), and this fragment was subclonedinto BamHI/EcoRI sites of pcDNA3 (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.). TheBAG-1 expression cassette is under the control of the CMV promoter inthis vector. The phagemid pCANTAB5 (Pharmacia Biotech, Piscataway, N.J.)was used to clone the anti-BAG-1 sFv DNA into the SfiI/NotI sites, underthe control of the IPTG-inducible lac promoter. This vector also encodesa peptide tag (E-tag) located at the carboxy terminus of the sFv toallow easy immunological detection of sFv protein expressed in bacteria.For expression in eukaryotic cells, the pCANTAB5 plasmid containing thesFv DNA cassette was digested with SfiI/NotI, and the sFv fragment wassubcloned into SfillNotI sites of pSTCF.KDEL, an eukaryotic expressionvector. The construction of pSTCF.KDEL has been described. This vectortargets the expression of an sFv to the ER. Expression of the sFv ORF isdriven by the CMV promoter.

EXAMPLE 6

Cell Culture and Transfection Methods

The human ovarian carcinoma cell line SKOV3 was obtained from theAmerican Type Culture Collection (Rockville, Md.) and maintained inDulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM, Mediatech, Herndon, Va.)supplemented with glutamine (30 mg/ml), penicillin (10 mg/ml),streptomycin (25 mg/ml), and 10% fetal calf serum (PAA Laboratories Inc.Newport Beach, Calif.) at 37° C. in a humidified 5% CO₂ atmosphere.

The human breast cancer cell line MCF-7, the human prostate cancer cellline DU145, and the human cervical cancer cell line HeLa were obtainedfrom ATCC (Rockville, Md.). DU145 and MCF-7 cells were grown in RPMI1640 (Cellgro Mediatech, Washington, D.C.) supplemented with 10% fetalbovine serum (FBS) (Hyclone Laboratories), L-glutamine (300 μg/ml),penicillin (100 i.u./ml) and streptomycin (25 μg/ml). The 6C8 hybridomacell line (obtained from JC Reed, The Burnham Institute, La Jolla,Calif.) was grown in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% FBS,oxalate/pyruvate/insulin mix (Sigma), 30 μg/ml of carboxyethylgamma-butryic acid (Sigma), 13.6 μg/ml of hypoxanthine (Sigma), 300μg/ml of L-glutamine and penicllin (100 i.u./ml) and streptomycin (25μg/ml). HeLa cells were maintained and propagated in DMEM/F12 (CellgroMediatech) supplemented with 10% FBS, L-glutamine andpenicillin/streptomycin. All cell lines were incubated at 37° C. in 5%CO₂. HeLa, MCF-7 and DU145 cells were transfected in 6 well plates usingthe adenovirus-polylysine-DNA (AdpL) complex method.

Target SKOV3 cells were transiently transfected with constructsemploying the adenovirus-poly-L-lysine (AdpL) utilizing knowntechniques. A volume of conjugate-DNA complex (100 μl) containing 0.2 mgplasmid DNA was then delivered to the target cells in 96-well tissueculture dishes (n=6) in DMEM containing 2% FCS. Incubation was carriedout for 4 hr at 37° C. after which, 100 ml of complete media was addedto control cell lines and incubation continued for 72 hours.Alternatively for cisplatin treated cell lines, 4 mg/mlcis-diamminedichloroplatinum (Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, N.J.) wasdiluted in 100 ml of complete media and added to 100 ml 2% FCS for afinal concentration of CDDP at 2 mg/ml.

EXAMPLE 7

Generation of Cancer Cell Clones Stably Expressing Anti-erbB-2 sFvs

Plasmid DNAs were stably transfected into target SKOV3 cells by thelipofectAMINE (GIBCO BRL, Gaithersberg, Md.) method using conditionsdescribed by the manufacturer. To this end, both pGT20 and pGT21contained a neomycin resistance expression cassette to allow forselection of stable transfectants. Briefly, lipid/DNA complexesconsisting of 40 mg plasmid DNA were delivered to cells at ˜50%confluency in 6.0 cm tissue culture dishes in a volume of 1.0 ml ofOptiMEM medium (GIBCO BRL). After 18 hours, the transfection medium wasremoved and replaced with complete medium and incubation continued foran additional 48 hours. Cells were split into selective mediumcontaining Geneticin (GIBCO BRL) at 1 mg/ml. Colonies were then isolatedand expanded in selective medium.

EXAMPLE 8

Determination of erbB2 Expression in Stable Clones

To determine the levels of erbB-2 protein present in the aforementionedstable clones, total clonal cell extracts were obtained.

Briefly, total cellular protein was isolated from cells in a cell lysisbuffer solution containing 1× physiologic buffered saline (pH-7.4), 1.5mM EDTA, 100 mM PMSF and 1 mg/ml aprotinin. The cell lysate was thenplated at 1 mg/ml in a 96 well plate pre-coated with human erbB-2antibody and assayed according to manufacturer's instructions using aquantitative Her2/neu (erbB-2) ELISA kit (Oncogene Science, Uniondale,N.Y.). Using a peroxidase conjugate system, the presence of erbB-2protein was determined at an absorbance of 490 nm. A standard curve wasderived using the Human Neu Unit (HNU) standards provided by themanufacturer and the test absorbances were compared to the standardcurve and values extrapolated using Softmax Program (BioTek Instruments,Winooski, Vt.). The neu assay will detect 10 HNU (0.5 femtomoles) per mlof cell lysate. The signal of 10 HNU standard is approximately twice thebackground signal. The human neu values obtained from the assay werethen converted to ƒmole/mg protein.

EXAMPLE 9

Presence of Anti-erbB-2 sFvs in Stable SKOV3 Clones

To validate the phenotype of the stable SKOV3 clones, Western Blotanalysis was carried out to verify the expression of the anti-erbB-2sFvs. 1×10⁶ cells were washed twice in PBS and solubilized in 500 ml ofRIPA buffer (0.15M Tris-HCl, [pH 7.2]/1% (vol/vol) Triton X-100/0.1%(wt/vol) sodium dodecyl sulfate/1% (wt/vol) sodium deoxycholate). Avolume of the cell lysate containing 20 μg total protein was added toequal volume of sample buffer (0.175 M Tris HCl pH 6.8, 20% (v/v)glycerol, 4.1% (w/v) SDS, 10% (v/v) β-mercaptoethanol, 0.002% (w/v)bromophenol blue, 6M Urea). The samples were heated to 95° C. for 5minutes and electrophoresed by SDS/PAGE in 4-20% gradient Tris-HCl gels.Samples were transferred by electroblotting onto PVDF membranes (0.2micron) (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, Calif.) after SDS-PAGE using ablotting buffer containing 25 mM Tris and 192 mM glycine. Non-specificbinding was then blocked using 5% nonfat dry milk (NFDM) in TBS-TX (50mM Tris pH 7.5, 100 mM NaCl, 1.0% Triton X-100) and then probed withpolyclonal rabbit anti-sFv antibody diluted 1:1000 in 5% NFDM in TBS-TX.Alkaline phosphatase conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG antibody (JacksonImmunoResearch Labs, Inc., West Grove, Pa.) was used as secondaryantibody at a 1:1000 dilution and the blot was developed in carbonatebuffer pH 9.8 (0.1 M NaHCO3, 1 mM MgCl₂) with nitro blue tetrazolium(NBT) and bromochloroindolyl phosphate (BCIP) (Bio-Rad Laboratories).

EXAMPLE 10

Cell Proliferation Assay

For this analysis, SKOV3 cells were seeded at a density of 5000cells/well in a 96-well plate and incubated for 24 hr. The AdpL methodwas employed for transient transfection of target cells with the plasmidconstructs pGT21 or pcDNA3. Four hours after transfection CDDP was addedat a concentration of 2 mg/ml. Alternatively, SKOV3/pGT21 clonal cellsor SKOV3/pGT20 clonal cells were seeded at a density of 5000 cells/wellin a 96-well plate and incubated for 24 hr. Four hourspost-transfection, CDDP was then added at a concentration of 2 mg/ml. At72 hours post-transfection, direct analysis of cell viability wasmeasured using the Cell Titer 96 AQ Non-Radioactive Cell ProliferationAssay (Promega Corp., Madison, Wis.). This assay is based on the abilityof only viable cells to reduce(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) to formazan that issoluble in tissue culture medium and can be measuredspectrophotometrically at an absorbance of 490 nm. MTS solution (2 ml)was mixed with 100 ml of phenazine methosulfate (PMS) immediately beforeaddition to the cells in the culture plate. MTS/PMS solution (20 μl) wasthen added into each well maintaining a ratio of 20 ml MTS/PMS to 100 mlof medium. After 30 minutes, the reduction product was measured at anabsorbance of 490 nm and compared to a standardized curve.

EXAMPLE 11

Determination of the Mechanism of Cell Death

The mechanism of cell death induced by expression of the anti-erbB-2 sFvand co-administration of CDDP was determined by evaluating target cellsfor evidence of apoptosis. Fluorescent DNA-binding dyes combined withfluorescence microscopy were employed to visualize cells demonstratingaberrant chromatin organization. For this analysis, the cell suspensionwas prepared at ˜1×10⁵ cells/ml complete medium. The suspended cells (25ml) were combined with 1 ml of dye containing 100 mg/ml acridineorange+100 mg/ml ethidium bromide and examined by fluorescent microscopyfor evidence of apoptosis. Statistical analysis of calculated means wasperformed using the Student t-test with pooled variances. A p-value of<0.01 was considered significant.

The erbB-2-overexpressing tumor cells, SKOV3, were treated with eitherthe anti-erbB-2 sFv (via transient transfection), the chemotherapeuticagent cisplatin (CDDP), or a combination of these agents. FIG. 9 showsthat intracellular expression of the anti-erbB-2 sFv or CDDP inducedcytotoxicity, but a synergistic effect was noted when the two agentswere employed in combination.

Thus, the anti-erbB-2 sFv was capable of enhancing tumor cellsensitivity to a chemotherapeutic agent. An experimental model whichwould allow more direct analysis of the anti-erbB-2 sFv mediatedchemosensitization was developed. The sFv-expressing SKOV3 clonesderived in Table 1 were expanded and characterized. Clonal cellpopulations were thus characterized for confirmation of expression ofthe anti-erbB-2 sFv. In addition, clonal populations of the parent cellline (SKOV3) were chosen, as well as stable lines expressing either thecytosolic anti-erbB-2 sFv (SKOV3/GT20) or the ER anti-erbB-2 sFv(SKOV3/GT21) which exhibited comparable growth kinetics. The parentalclone and the cytosolic sFv clone would likely have comparable levels ofcellular erbB-2. In addition, the ER sFv clone would likely reducecellular erbB-2, based upon a level of sFv-mediated erbB-2down-regulation. These clones were thus evaluated for cellular erbB-2 bydirect ELISA analysis (FIG. 10). It could be seen that the ERanti-erbB-2 sFv clone, SKOV3/GT21, was uniquely characterized by reducederbB-2 levels.

These clonal cell populations were further evaluated for theirsensitivity to the chemotherapeutic agent CDDP. The cytosolic sFvexpressing clone, SKOV3/GT20, did not differ in CDDP sensitivity whencompared to the parental clone SKOV3. Thus, intracellular expression ofthe anti-erbB-2 sFv in the cellular cytosol has no effect on eithererbB-2 levels (FIG. 10) or sensitivity to CDDP (FIGS. 10 and 11). Inmarked contrast, the clonal population expressing the ER form of theanti-erbB-2 sFv exhibited significantly greater sensitivity to CDDPtreatment than the parental clone. In this instance, the ER-sFv-mediatederbB-2 down-regulation was associated with enhanced chemosensitivity.

The present invention demonstrates that erbB-2 down-regulation is ameans to achieve enhanced chemosensitivity in erbB-2-overexpressingtumor cells. In addition, these findings address the issue ofintracellular antibody-expressing tumor cells not directly killed by theanti-erbB-2 sFv. These cells are phenotypically altered by thesFv-mediated down-regulation. In this instance, they are thus renderedsusceptible to a second apoptosis-inducing insult.

EXAMPLE 12

The parameters that modulate chemosensitivity induced by intracellularexpression of an anti-erbB-2 sFv

To achieve functional ablation of the erbB-2 oncoprotein, anintracellular antibody knockout strategy was developed. The newlysynthesized erbB-2 is entrapped during synthesis by the ER-localizedanti-erbB-2 sFv. Since it would not be able to achieve its normal cellsurface localization, it would not be capable of interacting with itscognate ligand and thus could not transduce a signal to elicit cellularproliferation. One would expect that this form of intervention wouldelicit a proliferative arrest selectively in erbB-2 positive cells.Unexpectedly, however, it was found that this genetic intervention wasactually cytocidal to erbB-2 overexpressing tumors. Further, themechanism of cell death could be shown to be on the basis of inducedapoptosis. Experiments in heterologous cells demonstrated that thisphenomenon was not on the basis of "shut-off" of transforming signals,but rather was linked to the co-expression of erbB-2 and the anti-erbB-2sFv in target tumor cells. The sFv-mediated erbB-2 down-regulationenhanced chemosensitivity in erbB-2 tumors. From the standpoint of agene therapy strategy, this was a very desirable result, in that tumorcells were selectively killed on the basis of a targeted tumor marker.Thus, this cytotoxicity could be accomplished in a targeted mannerwhereby non-erbB-2 positive cells were not induced to undergo apoptosis.In these instances where direct cytotoxicity could not be fullyaccomplished, the sFv rendered tumor cells more sensitive to a secondapoptotic insult.

EXAMPLE 13

Level of anti-erbB-2 sFv expression as a determinant of the efficacy ofchemosensitization

The coexpression of erbB-2 and the anti-erbB-2 sFv in heterologous cellscould induce selective toxicity by cotransduction of cells with erbB-2and the anti-erbB-2 sFv (FIG. 4). This suggested that it was notabrogation of the transforming event(s), but ER entrapment of erbB-2,per se, which induced apoptosis. This cotransduction system is employedto define the dose-response relationship between expression of erbB-2,the anti-erbB-2 sFv and induced chemosensitivity. AdpL complexes areconstituted with various ratios of anti-erbB-2 sFv plasmid and erbB-2plasmid (sFv:erbB-2 gene copy number: 10:1, 8:1, 4:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2,1:4, 1:8, 1: 10). The complexes are then used to cotransduce thenon-erbB-2 expressing cell line HeLa with analysis carried out todetermine the magnitude of the induced chemosensitivity in these cellswith the various chemotherapeutic agents. A relationship can thus bedefined between the input anti-erbB-2 sFv and erbB-2 plasmids and theobserved chemosensitivity.

EXAMPLE 14

Other single chain antibodies targeting gene products

The present invention demonstrated that sFv-mediated knockout of theoverexpressed erbB-2 growth factor receptor enhanced tumor cellchemosensitivity. A person having ordinary skill in this art wouldreadily recognize that other overexpressed cell surface markers areassociated with the progression of human ovarian carcinoma.Overexpression of these markers, such as EGFR, have been associated withenhanced chemoresistance, in a manner analogous to erbB-2.

First, erbB-2 positive ovarian tumors represent a minority of theoverall ovarian carcinoma population. The development of sFvs targetingother ovarian carcinoma related targets is within the skill of thosehaving ordinary skill in this art given the teachings of the presentinvention. In addition to this therapeutic consideration, in many of theaforementioned contexts whereby cell surface receptor overexpression canbe correlated with ovarian carcinoma, its precise association with thechemoresistant phenotype has not been clearly established. Thus, theachievement of functional knockout of these targets would establish aphenotypic link.

EXAMPLE 15

Down-regulation of analogous transforming transmembrane growth factorsvia intracellular sFvs and induction of chemosensitivity

EGFR is overexpressed in a variety of epithelial tumors, including thoseoriginating in lung and breast. Its overexpression has been shown to bea key event in neoplastic transformation and progression. In addition,overexpression of this analogous tyrosine kinase receptor has beenlinked to tumor cell chemoresistance. sFv mediated down-regulation ofthe EGFR can be accomplished to elicit cellular chemosensitivity. Ananti-EGFR sFv is modified to achieve ER localization after expression inan eucaryotic vector. Cotransduction of heterologous non-EGFR expressingcells with the human EGFR cDNA and the anti-EGFR sFv is then performed.Cells are evaluated for chemosensitization employing the XTT assay. Inaddition, stable clones expressing the anti-EGFR sFvs (cytosolic and ER)are derived. Clonal populations of ovarian carcinoma cell lines are thenevaluated for expression of the sFv, growth kinetics and down-regulationof the EGFR oncoprotein. These clones were evaluated for sensitivity tochemo therapeutic agents as described in FIGS. 10 and 11.

EXAMPLE 16

Vector reagents for the sFv/chemosensitization strategy

In these studies, the recombinant adenoviral vector exhibited thehighest in situ gene transfer capacity of the tested vectors. Theseresults parallel the findings of others whereby recombinant adenovirushas been employed to accomplish in situ transduction of tumor within theperitoneum. RAC-approved clinical human gene therapy protocols haveproposed the employment of recombinant adenovirus for the delivery oftumor suppressor genes for lung cancer and squamous carcinoma of thehead and neck, as well as in molecular chemotherapy strategies todeliver the HSVTK gene for CNS tumors and mesothelioma.

Adenoviral vectors can be used for in situ gene transfer to cancercells. A number of replication-defective recombinant adenoviral vectorshave been approved for human use in the context of RAC-approvedprotocols relating to human ovarian carcinoma. For the present context,the various sFvs directed against ovarian cancer markers can beconfigured into adenoviral vectors employed. Liposome vectors can beused to accomplish in situ gene transfer to ovarian cancer cells.Liposome gene transfer vectors offer a number of potential advantagesrequired for the sFv-knockout gene therapy strategy, including lowimmunogenicity and repetitive in vivo gene delivery. These vectors canachieve direct in vivo gene delivery in target organs and tissues suchas the lung, liver and vasculature.

EXAMPLE 17

Enhancement of tumor response to radiation therapy using gene therapy byintracellular ablation

Targeted eradication of the erbB-2 oncoprotein using gene constructsencoding anti-erbB-2 intracellular single chain antibodies kills tumorcells. In addition, this gene therapy strategy was shown to induceenhanced tumor cell chemosensitivity. The present invention furtherdemonstrates improved tumor therapy as a result of the combination ofthis gene therapy approach and radiation therapy treatment. Thiscombination of gene therapy knockout of an oncoprotein and radiationtherapy treatment possesses the advantage of targeted gene therapymediated radiation sensitization of tumors resulting in improved tumorcures following treatment with radiation therapy.

FIG. 12 shows the effect of single fraction cobalt-60 external beamirradiation on the growth of established human ovarian cancerxenografts. On day -6, a group of 5 athymic nude mice were injectedsubcutaneously with 1×10⁷ SKOV3.ip1 human ovarian cancer cells, and 10athymic nude mice were injected subcutaneously with 1×10⁷ SKOV3-KO(SKOV3.ip1 cells transduced with a gene encoding single chainanti-erbB-2 antibody designated SKOV3/pGT21). On day 0, when the tumorsmeasured 4-8 mm in diameter, all of the SKOV3.ip1 tumors and 5 of thetumors in animals injected with SKOV3-KO cells received 10 Gyirradiation. Five of the animals with SKOV3-KO tumors were notirradiated. The change in tumor size (bidimensional product) was thenassessed at varying times after injection. Data are expressed as theaverage of 5 animals/group.

FIG. 12 and Table I shows the differential regrowth delay of the tumorstreated with radiation and expressing or not expressing the anti-erbB-2sFv. As shown in the FIG. 12, those animals with the anti-erbB-2 sFvSKOV3/pGT21 tumors and irradiation had the greatest tumor regressionrate and tumor regrowth delay compared to the other groups. The tumorsfrom SKOV3/pGT21 cells that did not receive radiation grew initiallythen regressed for approximately 40 days before rapid regrowth similarto the parental SKOV3.ip1 cells with 10 Gy irradiation. The SKOV3/pGT21tumors with irradiation had rapid regrowth after 90-100 days. This datashows that cells with down-regulated erbB-2 mediated by the anti-erbB-2sFv are more susceptible to the effects of ionizing radiation than cellsthat maintain their erbB-2 expression.

                  TABLE I                                                         ______________________________________                                                         Tumor                                                        Animal                                                                              Cells/AB   Re-      Re-                                                 No.   Death Day  gression currence                                                                             Comments                                     ______________________________________                                        1     SAC'D D-168                                                                              20              SKOV3-KO + 10 GY                             2     SAC'D D-168                                                                              36              SKOV3-KO + 10 GY                             3     SAC'D D-118                                                                              36       71     SKOV3-KO + 10 GY                             4     SAC'D D-164                                                                              20       99     SKOV3-KO + 10 GY                             5     SAC'D D-168                                                                              36       71     SKOV3-KO + 10 GY                             6     SAC'D D-101                                                                              10       43     SKOV3-KO + 0 GY                              7     SAC'D D-77                 SKOV3-KO + 0 GY                              8     SAC'D D-71  8       45     SKOV3-KO + 0 GY                              9     SAC'D D-77                 SKOV3-KO + 0 GY                              10    SAC'D D-129                                                                              22       43     SKOV3-KO + 0 GY                              11    SAC'D D-115                                                                              43       55     SKOV3-ip1 + 10 GY                            12    SAC'D D-48                 SKOV3-ip1 + 10 GY                            13    SAC'D D-125                SKOV3-ip1 + 10 GY                            14    SAC'D D-129                SKOV3-ip1 + 10 GY                            15    SAC'D D-129                SKOV3-ip1 + 10 GY                            ______________________________________                                         Time of animal death or sacrifice due to large tumor size, tumor              regression, and tumor recurrence in athymic nude mice injected                subcutaneously with SKOV3.ip1 or SKOV3KO cells. Some of the tumors were       irradiated with 10 Gy cobalt60 irradiation on day 0.                     

FIG. 13 shows the effect of single fraction cobalt-60 external beamirradiation on the growth of established human ovarian cancerxenografts. On day -8, a group of 10 athymic nude mice were injectedsubcutaneously with 1.5×10⁷ SKOV3.ip1 or 2.0×10⁷ SKOV3-KO human ovariancancer cells SKOV3.ip1 cells transduced with a gene encoding singlechain anti-erbB-2 antibody designated SKOV3/pGT21. On day 0, when thetumors measured 3-7.5 mm in diameter, 5 animals from each group received10 Gy cobalt-60 irradiation. The other tumors were not irradiated. Thechange in tumor size (bidimensional product) was then assessed atvarying times after injection. Data are expressed as the average of 5animals/group.

                  TABLE II                                                        ______________________________________                                                         Tumor                                                        Animal                                                                              Cells/AB   Re-      Re-                                                 No.   Death Day  gression currence                                                                             Comments                                     ______________________________________                                         1    SAC'D D-67                 SKOV3-ip1 + Co-60                             2    SAC'D D-82                 SKOV3-ip1 + Co-60                             3    SAC'D D-67                 SKOV3-ip1 + Co-60                             4    SAC'D D-82                 SKOV3-ip1 + Co-60                             5    SAC'D D-67                 SKOV3-ip1 + Co-60                             6    SAC'D D-62                 SKOV3-ip1                                     7    SAC'D D-62                 SKOV3-ip1                                     8    SAC'D D-67                 SKOV3-ip1                                     9    SAC'D D-67                 SKOV3-ip1                                    10    SAC'D D-67                 SKOV3-ip1                                    11    SAC'D D-82                 SKOV3-KO + Co-60                             12    SAC'D D-82 37       55     SKOV3-KO + Co-60                             13    SAC'D D-82 37       55     SKOV3-KO + Co-60                             14    SAC'D D-82 15              SKOV3-KO + Co-60                             15    SAC'D D-82 15       55     SKOV3-KO + Co-60                             16    SAC'D D-82 13              SKOV3-KO +                                   17    SAC'D D-82 13              SKOV3-KO +                                   18    SAC'D D-67 13       34     SKOV3-KO +                                   19    SAC'D D-62 13       34     SKOV3-KO +                                   ______________________________________                                         Time of animal death or sacrifice due to large tumor size, tumor              regression, and tumor recurrence in athymic nude mice injected                subcutaneously with SKOV3.ip1 or SKOV3KO cells. Some of the tumors were       irradiated with 10 Gy cobalt60 irradiation on day 0.                     

To confirm the finding that radiation interacts with the anti-erbB-2 sFvto radiosensitize SKOV3/pGT21 tumors (FIG. 13 and Table I), the aboveexperiment were repeated with additional controls. Previously, tumorsestablished with SKOV3.ip1 parental cells received radiation; there wasno group of the parental cells that did not receive radiation. SKOV3.ip1parental cells without irradiation continued to grow without the delayobserved with SKOV3/pGT21 tumors (FIG. 13 and Table II). The results ofthe repeat experiment were very similar to the first experiment out to70 days. The same result in two independent experiments supports theconclusion that radiation interacts with the down-regulated erbB-2expression in SKOV3/pGT21 cells to lead to enhanced cell killing withionizing radiation.

EXAMPLE 18

Derivation of anti-Bcl-2 and anti-BAG-1 sFvs constructs

The murine hybridoma cell line 4D7, which expresses a monoclonalantibody against the human Bcl-2 protein was described. The murinehybridoma cell line 6C8 expresses a monoclonal antibody against thehuman BAG-1 protein (from John C Reed, Burnham Institute, La Jolla,Calif.). This hybridoma was used to generate cDNA from purified mRNA.sFv constructs were generated with the recombinant phage antibody system(Pharmacia Biotech, Piscataway, N.J.) according to the manufacturer'sinstructions. Briefly, the variable heavy (V_(H)) and variable light(V_(L)) chains were amplified from the cDNA by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) using mouse variable region primers (Pharmacia Biotech,Piscataway, N.J.). The V_(H) and the V_(L) DNA fragments were linkedtogether by overlap extension PCR using a (Gly₄ Ser)₃ linker to generatea 750 bp sFv construct with flanking SfiI and NotI restriction sites.The sFv DNA fragments were cloned into SfiI/NotI sites of theprokaryotic expression vector pCANTAB5 (Pharmacia Biotech, Piscataway,N.J.). Screening of recombinant clones expressing an sFv against Bcl-2or BAG-1 was accomplished by colony lift assay, as described. BAG-1 ORFwas cloned into BamHI/EcoRI of the pGEX 3X (Pharmacia Biotech) vectorencoding the Glutathion-S-transferase (GST) protein. The GST-BAG-1fusion protein was purified using the GST purification module kit fromPharmacia Biotech.

EXAMPLE 19

Western blot, ELISA and Cytotoxicity assays

At 48 hours post-transfection, cells were lyzed using Promega lysisbuffer (Promega, Madison, Wis.). Protein concentration was measured bythe Bradford method using the Bio-Rad protein assay (BioRad, Hercules,Calif.). Equal amounts of protein (30 μg) were loaded in each lane andrun on 12% SDS-PAGE gels. The same gel was also stained with CoomasieBlue to verify that similar amounts of protein were loaded in each lane.After transfer onto PVDF membrane (Bio-Rad, Hercules, Calif.), themembranes were probed with either an anti-BAG-1 antibody (purified fromthe 6C8 hybridoma cell line, 1:1000 dilution), an anti-c-myc tagantibody (1:10000, Invitrogen) or an anti-Bcl-2 antibody (1:1000; Dako,Carpinteria, Calif.). An HRP-conjugated rabbit anti-mouse antibody(Jackson ImmunoResearch, West Grove, Pa.) was used at 1:10000. Theimmunoblots were developed by chemiluminescence using the Renaissancesystem according to the instructions of the manufacturer (Dupont,Boston, Mass.).

The periplasmic extracts were prepared as follows: bacterial clonescontaining pCANTAB5/sFvs were induced with 1 mM IPTG for 4 hours,centrifuged and resuspended in ice-cold phosphate buffered saline(PBS)-1 mM EDTA, followed by incubation on ice for 30 minutes andcentrifugation at 1500g for 10 minutes at 40C. The supernatant, whichcontains the soluble sFvs, was stored at 4° C. until needed. Ninety-sixwell plates were coated with 10 μg/ml of purified BAG-1 protein (200μl/well) in PBS pH 7.4 or Bcl-2 protein (10 μg/ml) and incubatedovernight at 4° C. The plates were blocked for 1 hour with 3% bovineserum albumin (Boehringer Mannheim Co, Indianapolis, Ind.) at roomtemperature and then incubated with increasing concentrations ofperiplasmic extracts in a constant volume of 200 μl for 1 hour. Afterwashing with PBS, the plates were incubated at room temperature for 1hour with 200 μl of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated anti-Etagantibody (1:8000 dilution, Pharmacia Biotech). The plates were developedwith ABTS chromogen reagent (Pharmacia Biotech) and read on a microplatereader at 410 nm.

Cells were transfected in 6 well plates using the AdpL method andreplated the next day into 96 well plates (10⁴ cells/well). Twenty-fourhours later, the medium was changed and fresh medium containing variousconcentrations of staurosporine (Sigma) or cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(CDDP) was added. The relative percentage of viable cells was determined4 days later by(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2Htetrazolium (MTS) reduction assay using the Celltiter 96 kit (Promega,Madison, Wis.).

EXAMPLE 20

Construction and binding activity of anti-Bcl-2 sFvs to Bcl-2

The hybridoma cell line 4D7 (from John C Reed) produces a monoclonalantibody against the human Bcl-2 protein. The cDNA encoding the V_(H)and the V_(L) chains of this antibody were linked together as describedand the full length sFv construct was cloned into the bacterialexpression vector pCANTAB5 (FIG. 14A). Following screening by colonylift assay, positive clones were analyzed by PCR for the presence of ansFv insert (FIG. 15A) and for their ability to generate an ˜34 kDa sFvprotein by Western blot (FIG. 15B). All the clones tested by PCRdisplayed the expected 750 bp sFv DNA fragment (with the exception of#7) but only two clones, #1 and #4, had detectable expression ofanti-Bcl-2 sFv proteins. These two clones were further studied for theirbinding affinity to the Bcl-2 protein.

To determine the relative binding affinities of the anti-Bcl-2 sFvs #1and #4, periplasmic extracts produced from IPTG-induced E. coli wereprepared. These extracts, which contain soluble sFv proteins, were thenused in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine theirability to bind to Bcl-2 protein. The untransduced strain and anirrelevant protein (BAG-1) were used as negative controls to confirm thebinding specificity. In this analysis, both anti-Bcl-2 sFv #1 and #4specifically bound to the Bcl-2 protein (FIG. 16) whereas no binding wasobserved to an untransduced periplasmic extract or the BAG-1 protein(results not shown). The specific binding affinity of the anti-Bcl-2 sFv#4 was higher, especially at high concentrations. Thus, an anti-Bcl-2sFv has been derived, that, when expressed in a prokaryotic system,binds specifically to the human Bcl-2 protein.

EXAMPLE 21

Intracellular expression of the anti-Bcl-2 sFv in eukaryotic cells

The intracellular expression of sFvs is a potent way to achieveselective knock-out of cellular proteins. As Bcl-2 is a membraneassociated protein, and previous experience has shown that sFvs directedto the ER where antibodies are normally folded, are stable and properlyfolded, an eukaryotic expression vector was constructed that couldtarget the anti-Bcl-2 sFv to the ER. To this end, the pSecTag C vector(Invitrogen), which includes an Ig kappa leader sequence directingproteins to the secretory pathway, was modified to include the KDELsignal at the carboxy terminal of the sFv in order to localize theanti-Bcl-2 sFv to the ER. The integrity of this vector was verified byDNA sequencing. Its ability to target the green fluorescent protein(GFP) to the correct subcellular compartment was determined in transienttransfection assays. In these experiments, HeLa cells were transducedusing the (AdpL) method as described, and 48 hours after transfectionthe cells were examined for immunofluorescence. The immunofluorescencepattern reveals a punctate, mostly perinuclear distribution consistentwith localization to targeted organelles.

To determine if the anti-Bcl-2 sFvs could be expressed in eucaryoticcells, HeLa cells were transduced using the AdpL method (>90%transduction efficiency in these cells, and analyzed them 48 hours laterfor sFv expression by Western blot. For these experiments, theanti-Bcl-2 sFv #1 and #4 were introduced into the pSTCF.KDEL vector. Theintegrity of these new recombinant plasmids was verified by DNAsequencing. As shown in FIG. 17A, both c-myc epitope-tagged anti-Bcl-2sFvs were expressed at high level when cloned into the ER-targetedvector construct. Therefore, as expected, high level expression of theER-targeted anti-Bcl-2 sFvs was achieved in this transient eucaryoticsystem.

EXAMPLE 22

Inhibition of Bcl-2 expression bv an ER-targeted anti-Bcl-2 sFv in HeLacells following cotransfection with a Bcl-2 expression vector

To show the functional activity of the anti-Bcl-2 sFvs, a heterologoussystem was used in which the Bcl-2 protein could be exogenouslyintroduced into cells that are highly transducible by the AdpL vectorsystem. The anti-Bcl-2 sFvs, or the vector DNA (control), cotransfectedwith pRC/CMV/hBcl-2 in HeLa cells, were evaluated for their ability tomodulate expression of Bcl-2. Forty-eight hours post-transfection, thecells were lysed and Bcl-2 expression was determined by Western blot. Aduplicate gel was also stained with coomasie to ensure that the sameamount of protein was loaded in each lane. Compared to control, bothanti-Bcl-2 sFv #1 and #4 significantly reduced Bcl-2 expression,although clone #4 was more efficient (FIG. 17B). This observation isconsistent with the fact that the anti-Bcl-2 sFv #4 demonstrated higherbinding affinity to Bcl-2 in the ELISA (FIG. 16). Therefore, the presentinvention shows that intracellular expression of an anti-Bcl-2 sFv iscapable of efficiently down-regulated the Bcl-2 protein in eukaryoticcells.

To further evaluate the specificity of this effect, Bcl-2 expression inHeLa cells was assayed for a dose-dependent modulation. A series ofdifferent DNA ratios (1:1, 1:5, 1:10) of pRC/CMV/hBcl-2 and anti-Bcl-2sFvs plasmids were cotransfected into HeLa cells. Bcl-2 expression wasdetermined 48 hours post-transfection by Western blot. As shown in FIG.18, a more pronounced down-modulation of Bcl-2 expression was observedwith increasing amounts of anti-Bcl-2 sFv DNA, thereby suggesting that,in this system, a relative excess of sFv protein is required for optimalantigen interaction and ablation. The dose-response observed alsosupports the hypothesis that a specific interaction occurs between theanti-Bcl-2 sFv and Bcl-2 protein. As previously observed, the anti-Bcl-2#4 was the most efficent to down-regulate Bcl-2.

EXAMPLE 23

Modulation of Bcl-2 in breast and prostate cancer cells expressing Bcl-2

It was next evaluated whether the anti-Bcl-2 sFv #4 could also modulateBcl-2 expression in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. These cells arehighly transducible by the AdpL method, expresses Bcl-2, and studieshave shown that increased cell survival to cytotoxic drugs is dependenton Bcl-2 expression. Therefore, inhibition of Bcl-2 function would beexpected to augment the sensititivity of MCF-7 cells to apoptoticstimuli. To verify this, the anti-Bcl-2 sFv #4 was introduced into MCF-7cells and the level of the Bcl-2 protein was determined. Compared to thecontrol, a markedly decreased Bcl-2 expression level was noted in cellsthat received the anti-Bcl-2 sFv (FIG. 19A). A similar effect was seenin the prostate cancer cell line DU145, when Bcl-2 was exogenouslyintroduced. In this case, although the level of Bcl-2 protein was higherthan in endogenously Bcl-2 expressing MCF-7 cells, the anti-Bcl-2 sFvwas nonetheless able to achieve significant down-modulation of the Bcl-2protein.

To verify that the down-modulation of Bcl-2 correlated with adequateexpression of the anti-Bcl-2 sFv in these cells, the cell lysates weresubmitted to a Western blot probed with an anti-cmyc tag antibody. Asshown in FIG. 19B, adequate expression of the anti-Bcl-2 sFv protein wasfound in both cell lines, although DU145 cells expressed higher levels,despite the fact that equal amounts of total protein were analysed.Similar observations have been noted with other sFvs when transfectedinto different cell lines. In addition, both cell lines have comparabletransduction efficiency with the AdpL vector system (results not shown).Taken together, these results demonstrate that intracellular expressionof an ER-targeted form of the anti-Bcl-2 sFv is capable of effectivedown-modulation of endogenously expressed Bcl-2 or when Bcl-2 isexogenously introduced, confirming the previous data obtained in HeLacells.

EXAMPLE 24

The intracellular expression of an anti-Bcl-2 sFv results in markedincreases in drug-induced cell death in Bcl-2 expressing cells

In order to examine the effects of sFv-induced down-regulation of Bcl-2on the proliferation of human tumor cells, endogenously Bcl-2 expressingMCF-7 cells were transfected with the anti-Bcl-2 sFv plasmid orpSTCF.KDEL, as a control, and cellular proliferation was measured atseveral time points post-transfection by MTT assay. In addition, Bcl-2negative DU145 cells were also transfected with the same plasmids toserve as a control. The growth curves of these cells are shown in FIGS.20A and B. No growth inhibition was observed in cells transduced withthe anti-Bcl-2 sFv compared to controls. These results suggest that, inthis transient assay system, inhibition of Bcl-2 protein expression doesnot significantly affect the proliferation of Bcl-2 overexpressing cellsunder normal growth conditions. This is consistent with recent datawhereby modulation of Bcl-2 levels does not affect the proliferation ofepithelial tumor cell lines.

As Bcl-2 expression can modulate the sensitivity of cancer cells todrug-induced apoptosis, the relative sensitivity of Bcl-2 expressing andnon-expressing cells to CDDP or staurosporine-induced cell killing wasexplored. Staurosporine is known to inhibit protein kinase activity andcan therefore induce apoptosis in Bcl-2 overexpressing cells. As shownin FIG. 21A, MCF-7 cells transduced with the anti-Bcl-2 sFv were moresusceptible to cell killing induced by staurosporine. A similar effectwas observed when these cells were treated with CDDP. In contrast, Bcl-2negative DU145 cells transfected with the anti-Bcl-2 sFv did not showany increase in cell death. In addition, when Bcl-2 was introduced bygene transfer in DU145, the cells became more resistant to CDDP-inducedapoptosis as expected. However, this relative protection from cell deathwas abrogated when the anti-Bcl-2 sFv was co-tranfected into these cells(FIG. 21B) providing further evidence that the anti-Bcl-2 sFv canenhance drug-mediated cell death in different cell types expressingBcl-2. Since staurosporine was relatively inefficient to kill DU145cells, no additional protection from apoptosis was observed followingtransfection of pRC/CMV/hBcl-2. Nonetheless, the present invention hasdemonstrated that the anti-Bcl-2 sFv #4 can clearly potentiatedrug-mediated cell killing in different tumor cell lines and that thiseffect was oberved with at least two different drugs.

EXAMPLE 25

Gene transfer of BAG-1 into tumor cells has anti-apoptotic activity

BAG-1 is a 29 kDa molecule that does not show homology to the Bcl-2family, but the N-terminal shares homology with ubiquitin. The cDNAencoding BAG-1 was cloned in the mammalian expression vector pcDNA3 inwhich the expression of BAG-1 is driven by the CMV promoter. Theresulting plasmid (pcDNA3/BAG-1) or control DNA (pcDNA3) was transfectedinto the DU145 cell line, that does not endogenously express Bcl-2, andin the MCF-7 cell line which overexpresses Bcl-2. Forty-eight hoursafter transfection of the BAG-1 vector, the expression of BAG-1 andBcl-2 in both cell lines were analysed by Western blot using mouseanti-BAG-1 and anti-Bcl-2 monoclonal antibodies. As expected, expressionof Bcl-2 was detected only in MCF-7 (FIGS. 22C-D), whereas high level ofBAG-1 expression was found in both cell lines that received the BAG-1vector (FIGS. 22A-B). DU145 and MCF-7 cells transfected with the controlplasmid had no detectable level of BAG-1 expression. In addition, genetransfer-mediated expression of BAG-1 did not influence the level ofBcl-2 expression in MCF-7 cells as the same level of Bcl-2 protein wasdetected in MCF-7 cells transduced with pcDNA3 or pcDNA3/BAG-1 (FIG.22D). Thus, the present invention demonstrates that high transientexpression of the BAG-1 protein can be induced in these human tumor celllines.

It was next evaluated if BAG-1 alonc, or coexpressed with Bcl-2, couldaffect the sensitivity of DU145 or MCF-7 cells to drug-inducedapoptosis. As shown in FIGS. 23A-B, AdpL-mediated gene transfer of BAG-1into DU145 cells, a Bcl-2 negative cell line, had no apparent effect ontheir sensitivity to staurosporine-induced cytotoxocity. Staurosporineis a well know inhibitor of protein kinases. In contrast, transfectionof BAG-1 in MCF-7 cells resulted in increased resistance of these cellsto cell killing induced by staurosporine. Although the level ofstaurosporine-mediated cytotoxicity was fairly low (only ˜20% killing at150 ng/ml) in DU145, it is unlikely that the absence of any protectionseen in these cells was related to this low percentage of killng. Infact, similar results were obtained when cytotoxicity was induced usingCDDP. Gene transfer of BAG-1 in DU145 cells had no protective effectfrom CDDP-induced cell killing, even if the majority of the cells werekilled, whereas MCF-7 transfected with BAG-1 showed significantprotection from cytotoxity induced by CDDP compared to control. Takentogether, these results suggest that BAG-1 alone has little effect ondrug-mediated cell killing (at least in the prostate cancer cell lineDU145) whereas in endogenously Bcl-2 overexpressing MCF-7 cells, BAG-1can potentiate the anti-apoptotic effect of Bcl-2.

EXAMPLE 26

Single-chain antibody (sFv) as a means to abrogate the expression ofBAG-1 in human tumor cell lines

Intracellular sFvs represent a class of therapeutic agents that canselectively abrogate the expression of an oncogene wihthin a tumor cell.An sFv directed against the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, modulated theexpression of Bcl-2 and enhanced drug-induced cell killing in humantumor cells overexpressing Bcl-2. To show that an anti-BAG-1 sFv hassimilar properties in BAG-1 overexpressing tumor cells, an anti-BAG-1sFv was constructed and evaluated for its binding affinity to BAG-1 byELISA. The V_(H) and V_(L) chains were amplified by PCR from cDNAderived from the hybridoma cell line 6C8 (obtained from J. Reed, BurhamInstitute, LaJolla, Calif.), which produces a murine monoclonal againstthe human BAG-1 protein. The V_(H) and V_(L) were then joined togetherusing the small 15 amino-acid linker (Gly₄ Ser)₃ as described above.This sFv construct was cloned down-stream of the IPTG-inducible lacpromoter in the prokaryotic expression vector pCANTAB5, transferred intothe E. coli strain HB 2151 and bacterial clones were screened, basedupon their ability to produce an anti-BAG-1 sFv that binds to BAG-1.Twenty positive clones were selected and further evaluated in regard totheir sFv expression. FIG. 24A shows a Western blot analysis for nine ofthem. The binding affinity of the 20 clones to the BAG-1 protein wasdetermined by ELISA. In this analysis, anti-BAG-1 sFv clones displayedgood binding affinity to BAG-1. In contrast, no binding was observedwith the bacterial extract alone or with purified Bcl-2 proteindemonstrating the specificity of these sFvs for BAG-1. FIG. 24B showsthe binding affinity data for three anti-BAG-1 clones that demonstratedthe highest affinity.

BAG-1 is a cytosolic protein, as shown by immunofluorescence studies,and it lacks a transmembrane signal domain. Despite this fact, theanti-BAG-1 sFv was targeted to the ER because 1) most of the previousexperiments performed with intracellular sFvs have been carried out inthe ER; 2) antibodies are normally assembled and folded in the ER; 3)sFvs expressed in the cytosol are unstable due to an unfavorable redoxenvironment. In addition, ER-targeted sFv have functionally inhibitedproteins that were localized into other cellular compartments.

To assess the ability of the anti-BAG-1 sFvs to modulate the expressionof BAG-1 in eukaryotic cells, the anti-BAG-1 sFv ORFs from clones 11, 15and 20 were subcloned into the pSTCF.KDEL eukaryotic vector. Theseclones were selected based upon their binding affinity on ELISA. Theability of the pSTCF.KDEL plasmid to localize an sFv to the endoplasmicreticulum (ER) has been described. HeLa cells were transfected using theAdpL method with pcDNA3/BAG-1 alone, the anti-BAG-1 sFvs 11, 15, 20alone or cotransfected with pcDNA3/BAG-1 and the anti-BAG-1 sFvs 11, 15,respectively. The HeLa cell line was chosen because of its hightransducibility by AdpL and the fact that this system was previouslyvalidated with another sFv. Forty-eight hours post-transfection, theexpression of BAG-1 was evaluated by Western blot analysis. As shown inFIG. 25A, lower levels of BAG-1 protein were detected in HeLa cellscotransfected with BAG-1 and the anti-BAG-1 sFv constructs incomparaison to those that were transfected with BAG-1 alone. AlthoughBAG-1 expression was still detectable in HeLa cells cotransfected withthe anti-BAG-1 11, sFvs 15 and 20 achieved complete abrogation of BAG-1expression. To confirm that the down-regulation of BAG-1 correlated withexpression of anti-BAG-1 sFvs in these cells, an immunoblot analysis wasperformed to detect the sFv proteins. As shown in FIG. 25B, expressionof the anti-BAG-1 sFvs was detectable where HeLa cells were transducedwith the anti-BAG-1 constructs. Even though the same amount of totalprotein was loaded in each lanes (validated by Coomasie Blue staining),the sFv protein expression varied from one clone to another.Nevertheless, even at low level protein expression, the anti-BAG-1 sFvswere still able to down-regulate BAG-1.

The ability of the anti-BAG-1 sFvs to modulate the expression of BAG-1was not restricted to HeLa cells. Two other cell lines, MCF-7, a breastcancer cell line and DU 145, a prostate cancer cell line, weretransfected with the anti-BAG-1 sFv 20, the BAG-1 vector or both, andBAG-1 expression was compared to cells transfected with pSTCF.KDEL andBAG-1 (controls). As shown in FIG. 26A, the anti-BAG-1 sFv 20 completelyabrogated the expression of BAG-1 compared to the plasmid controls inthese cells. Ablation of BAG-1 expression was also correlated withexpression of the sFv in these cells (FIG. 26B). The results demonstratethat the activity of the anti-BAG-1 sFv is not restricted to a specificcell type.

To determine if the BAG-1 protein or the anti-BAG-1 sFv could influencethe proliferation of DU145 and MCF-7 under normal growth conditions,these cells were transfected by the AdpL method with the BAG-1expression vector, the anti-BAG-1 sFv, both or BAG-1 cDNA andpSTCF.KDEL. As shown in FIG. 27, overexpression of BAG-1 per se did notsignificantly influence the growth rate of DU145 and MCF-7. Identicalresults were obtained with the anti-BAG-1 sFv suggesting that by itselfthis sFv had no negative effect on cell proliferation.

EXAMPLE 27

Abolition of the BAG-1-mediated resistance to cell killing by theanti-BAG-1 sFv

To determine whether the anti-BAG-1 sFv-induced modulation of the BAG-1protein can abolish the relative resistance to cytotoxicity conferred bythis protein in MCF-7 cell, the anti-BAG-1 sFv 20, Bag-1 or bothplasmids were transfected by the AdpL method and 24 hours later thetransfected MCF-7 cells were treated with staurosporine or CDDP. Thecell survival was assessed 4 days after the addition of the drugs.Similar experiments were conducted in DU145 as these cells do notexpress Bcl-2. As expected, the down-regulation of BAG-1 expression inMCF-7 cells completely abrogated the protective effect of BAG-1 (FIGS.28A-B). In contrast, BAG-1 down-regulation in DU145 cells had no impacton their survival following exposure to drugs (FIGS. 28C-D).Transfection of the anti-BAG-1 sFv alone had no effect on the survivalof both cell lines compared to the control (mock-transfected cells).Cotransfection of BAG-1 cDNA and pSTCF.KDEL in MCF-7 resulted inincreased cell survival, demonstrating that pSTCF.KDEL by itself doesnot affect BAG-1-mediated protection from cytotoxicity. Similar resultswere obtained with the two cytotoxic drugs. Taken together, theseresults demonstrate the potency of the anti-BAG-1 sFv to overcome therelative resistance to cell killing conferred by the coexpression ofBAG-1 and Bcl-2 in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, the absence of anyeffect in MCF-7 and DU145 cells following gene transfer of theanti-BAG-1 sFv 20 alone suggest that this sFv acts in a specific way.

EXAMPLE 28

Conclusions based on the use of sFvs directed towards Bcl-2 and BAG-1

Using a novel method based on the intracellular expression of asingle-chain antibody directed against the Bcl-2 protein, the presentinvention demonstrates selective down-regulation of Bcl-2 proteinexpression in different epithelial tumor cell lines. This effect wasdependent upon the ratio of anti-Bcl-2 sFv/Bcl-2 protein. A relativeexcess of anti-Bcl-2 sFv protein was required to achieve efficientdown-regulation of the Bcl-2 protein in a situation where both cDNAswere driven by the CMV promoter. However, in tumor cells endogenouslyoverexpressing Bcl-2, the level of Bcl-2 expression was significantlylower than that obtained via heterologous gene transfer. Therefore, anexcess of anti-Bcl-2 sFv protein can easily be achieved in these cellswith a CMV driven vector. In fact, significant down-regulation of theBcl-2 protein has been achieved in endogenously Bcl-2 expressing MCF-7cells.

The present invention demonstrates that BAG-1 has anti-apoptoticactivity in a breast cancer cell line that overexpresses Bcl-2.Expression of an intracellular ER-targeted anti-BAG-1 sFv was able toabrogate the expression of BAG-1 and thereby abolish the anti-apopticactivity of BAG-1 in these cells. This is the first report thatdemonstrates the biological importance on down-modulation of BAG-1.These gene transfer experiments clearly show that sFv-mediatedabrogation of BAG-1 can reverse its ability to block cell death.

EXAMPLE 29

Intracellular sFv anti-cyclin-D1 can knockout cyclin D1 proteinexpression and alter tumor cell growth

Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) are central to theregulation of the eukaryotic cell cycle. The role of cell cycle inmodifying radiation sensitivity has been well established. Abrogatinggenes involved in cell cycle regulation can enhance radiosensitization.To show the effect of down-regulating cyclin-D1 on cell cycleprogression, a sFv to cyclin-D1 was developed from the hybridoma cellline DCS-6. The DCS-6 hybridoma produces an antibody specific for thecyclin-D1 oncoprotein. The corresponding V_(L) and V_(H) chains of theDCS-6 RNA were amplified using RT-PCR and successfully assembled into ananti-cyclin-D1 sFv (FIG. 29A). The sFv library was subcloned into theprokaryotic expression vector pCANTAB5E in frame with a C-terminal E-tagfor subsequent detection. To evaluate the expression of theanti-cyclin-D1 sFv E. coli were used to obtain periplasmic extract.Western blot analysis demonstrated sFv protein expression in theprokaryotic system only under induced conditions (FIG. 29B). Thus, theanti-cyclin-D1 sFv protein of 27 kDa was produced in the eukaryoticsystem. To determine the binding activity of the engineeredanti-cyclin-D1 sFv, periplasmic fractions were obtained and an ELISA wasused to determine specific binding to 40 mg of purified cyclin-D1protein. Two rounds of colony lift assay were performed to isolatepurified clones with the best binding affinity. As shown in FIG. 29Cpanels of 10 different subclones from clones 3 and 34 were assayed. Thebinding affinity of clone 34.1 and 34.8 was comparable to the parentalmAb, DCS-6. Thus, an anti-cyclin-D1 sFv was produced with bindingaffinity similar to the parental antibody.

To evaluate the trafficking of heterologous proteins employing thetargeted eukaryotic expression plasmids the localization of the greenfluorescent protein (GFP) reporter to the different intracellularcompartments was evaluated. For this analysis the ER (KDEL retentionsignal) and nuclear GFP-fusion protein vectors were transfected in HeLacells using the AdpL method. Transduced cells were evaluated under afluorescent microscope (FIG. 30A). The GFP reporter was localized to thetargeted subcellular compartment by the appropriate plasmid vector. Theexpression of anti-cyclin-D1 sFv was assayed for the nuclear and ERforms of the sFv in transfected HeLa cells. Western blot analysis wereperformed as shown in FIG. 30B. A band at 27 kDa corresponding to theexpected molecular weight of the anti-cyclin-D1 sFv protein was detectedfor both expression vectors. Thus, the anti-cyclin-D1 sFv can beexpressed in both the nuclear and ER of eukaryotic cells.

To characterize the ability of the anti-cyclin-D1 sFv to down regulatecyclin-D1 protein expression, experiments using AdpL transfection weredone in a normal breast cell line (HBL-100) which does not overexpresscyclin-D1 and in a cyclin-D1 overexpressing breast cancer cell lineMDA-MB-453). Plasmid DNAs encoding the ER form (erCD1scFv34.1) or anuclear form (nCDlscFv34.1) of anti-cyclin-D1 sFv were used. The pcDNA3plasmid was used as a control. Transfected cells were evaluated byWestern blot analysis (FIG. 30C). No difference in the expression ofcyclin-D1 protein in the HBL-100 cells was detected. The MDA-MB-453cells demonstrated a significant reduction in cyclin-D1 protein levelsby fives days post transfection with the nuclear form of theanti-cyclin-D1 sFv. Thus, an anti-cyclin-D1 sFv localized to the nucleusof the cell could achieve down modulation of the targeted protein inMDA-MB-453 cells.

To determine the biological effect of anti-cyclin-D1 sFv expression,analysis of cell cycle progression was done. Cyclin-D1 is essential forprogression through the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Cell cycle analysiswas done using FACS analysis following propidium iodide (PI) staining.No changes were observed in cell cycle kinetics in the HBL-100 cell linetreated with the different forms of the anti-cyclin-D1 sFv (FIG. 31).However, in the MDA-MB-453 cells a specific delay of S phase entry wasseen in the cells treated with the ER and nuclear forms of theanti-cyclin-D1 sFv (FIG. 31). Specifically, cellular DNA FACS analysisof nonsynchronized MDA-MB-453 cells when treated with the nuclear formof the anti-cyclin-D1 sFv showed a 22% increase in the proportion ofcells in G1 and a concomitant reduction of actively dividing cellscompared to only 8% with the ER form of the sFv. Another cell line thatoverexpresses cyclin-D1 (MCF-7) was used to confirm the previousresults. MCF-7 cells showed a delayed S phase entry with a 37% increasein cells in G1 transfected with the nuclear form of the anti-cyclin-D1sFv. Thus the anti-cyclin-D1 sFv was able to achieve selective blockageof cell cycle progression by accumulating cells in the G1 phase of thecell cycle.

The cell cycle arrest was additionally manifested as a reduction ofviable cells at various time points. Five days post transfectionMDA-MB-453 cells expressing the nuclear-localized anti-cyclin-D1 sFvshowed extensive cell death as assessed by trypan blue exclusion. Thiscell death was not apparent in MDA-MB-453 cells transfected with thecontrol plasmid pcDNA3 (FIG. 32). Thus, the expression of the nuclearform and ER form of the anti-cyclin-D1 sFv alters the cell cyclekinetics of cyclin-D1 overexpressing breast cancer cells but not incells expressing normal levels of cyclin-D1 protein. Therefore, theexpression of an sFv that alters the cell cycle kinetics of cellsoverexpressing cyclin-D1 may have an important role in sensitizing tumorcells to ionizing radiation.

FIG. 33 shows that in a direct analysis of viable cells, the nuclearform of the anti-cyclin-D1 scFv induced 60% reduction in the number ofviable cells in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-453. In contrast, the ER form of thescFv only achieved close to 40% reduction in cell viability in thosesame cells. Thus, the expression of the nuclear and ER form of this scFvalters the cells cycle kinetics and exhibits a selectiveanti-proliferative effect in overexpressing cyclin D1 breast cancercells.

Any patents or publications mentioned in this specification areindicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which theinvention pertains. These patents and publications are hereinincorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individualpublication was specifically and individually indicated to beincorporated by reference.

One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the presentinvention is well adapted to carry out the objects and obtain the endsand advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The presentexamples along with the methods, procedures, treatments, molecules, andspecific compounds described herein are presently representative ofpreferred embodiments, are exemplary, and are not intended aslimitations on the scope of the invention. Changes therein and otheruses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed withinthe spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of enhancing the radiosensitivity of aneoplastic cell, comprising the steps of:(a) introducing into the cellan antibody homologue, wherein the antibody homologue is expressedintracellularly and binds to a target protein intracellularly, whereinsaid target protein is known to stimulate either cell proliferation orneoplastic transformation; and, (b) administering radiation to saidcell, wherein radiosensitivity of said cell is enhanced by theintracellular presence of said antibody homologue.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said antibody homologue binds in the endoplasmicreticulum of the cell.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said neoplasticcell expresses a target protein that stimulates proliferation of thecell.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said neoplastic cell is selectedfrom the group consisting of ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, lungcancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, gliomas,fibrosarcomas, retinoblastomas, melanomas, soft tissue sarcomas,ostersarcomas, leukemias, colon cancer, carcinoma of the kidney,gastrointestinal cancer, salivary gland cancer and pancreatic cancer. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein said target protein is selected from thegroup consisting of growth factor receptor proteins, cell cycle controlproteins and anti-apoptotic proteins.
 6. The method of claim 5, whereinsaid growth factor receptor protein is selected from the groupconsisting of erbB2 and epidermal growth factor receptor.
 7. The methodof claim 5, wherein said anti-apoptotic protein is selected from thegroup consisting of Bcl-2 and BAG-1.
 8. The method of claim 5, whereinsaid cell cycle control protein is selected from the group consisting ofcyclin D1 and cyclin B.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said antibodyhomologue is selected from the group consisting of a single chain Fvfragment and a Fab fragment.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein saidantibody homologue is introduced to the cell via a nucleic acid moleculeencoding said antibody homologue.
 11. The method of claim 10, whereinsaid nucleic acid molecule is a recombinant expression vector selectedfrom the group consisting of a viral vector and a plasmid vector. 12.The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of contacting saidcell with an anti-neoplastic agent, radiation or a combination thereof.13. The method of claim 12, wherein said anti-neoplastic agent isselected from the group consisting of cisplatin, a halogenatedpyrimidine, fluoropyrimidines, taxol, BCNU, 5-fluorouracil, bleomycin,mitomycin, hydroxyurea, fludarabine, nucleoside analogues, topoisomeraseI inhibitors, hypoxic cell sensitizers and etoposide.
 14. A method ofenhancing the radiosensitivity of a neoplastic cell, comprising the stepof:introducing into the cell an antibody homologue, wherein the antibodyhomologue is expressed intracellularly and binds to a target proteinintracellularly, wherein said target protein is known to stimulateeither cell proliferation or neoplastic transformation; and contactingsaid cell with radiation or radiation in combination with ananti-neoplastic chemotherapeutic agent.
 15. The method of claim 14,wherein said target protein is erbB2.
 16. The method of claim 14,wherein said target protein is epidermal growth factor receptor.
 17. Themethod of claim 14, wherein said target protein is Bcl-2.
 18. The methodof claim 14, wherein said target protein is cyclin D1.
 19. The method ofclaim 14, wherein said target protein is BAG-1.